Everyday cooking
Skillet ratatouille
Aubergine, courgettes, peppers and tomatoes simmer into a chunky vegetable dish.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Servings / pieces
- 4
- Topic
- Everyday cooking
This ratatouille is a chunky skillet dish rather than a decorative layered bake. Brown the aubergine and courgettes separately first, giving them some colour and helping them remain recognisable in the tomato sauce. Pepper, onion and garlic form the other part of the base. Everything finishes cooking together until tender without becoming an indistinct purée. Serve with bread, rice or polenta. A wide lidded frying pan handles both browning and brief braising without requiring many small saucepans. Adjust the liquid at the end according to the juiciness of the tomatoes rather than adding a thickener.
Method
Step by step
- 01
Cut vegetables
Cut aubergine and courgettes into roughly 2 cm pieces. Deseed peppers and dice similarly. Roughly chop tomatoes; finely cut onion and garlic.
- 02
Brown aubergine and courgettes
Heat 2 tbsp oil. Brown aubergine over medium-high heat for 7–8 minutes, turning. Remove. Fry courgettes with 1 tbsp oil for 4–5 minutes and set aside too.
- 03
Soften peppers
Add remaining oil. Soften onion and peppers over medium heat for 6 minutes. Briefly cook garlic and thyme, then add tomatoes and salt.
- 04
Braise together
Simmer the tomato mixture uncovered for 10 minutes. Return aubergine and courgettes. Cover loosely and gently braise for another 12–15 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
- 05
Reduce liquid
Uncover and evaporate excess liquid for a few minutes if needed. Adjust pepper and salt. Turn carefully to preserve the pieces and serve warm or lukewarm.
Times are a guide. Your hob, oven and ingredients affect the result; use the cooking cues as well as the clock.
Brown aubergine evenly
Aubergine initially absorbs oil and becomes softer during cooking. Avoid immediately pouring in large extra quantities. Lower the heat slightly if necessary and turn occasionally. The pieces should colour around their surfaces, then soften completely during the later braising stage.
Tomatoes determine the sauce
Very juicy tomatoes take longer to reduce. Firm ripe ones produce a more concentrated sauce. Outside the season, use 400 g tinned tomatoes. Reduce them before returning the other vegetables in the same way. Reduce a wet dish uncovered instead of thickening it with flour.
Kitchen questions
One more question?
Must I fry vegetables separately?
It helps preserve this texture. Adding everything simultaneously saves a stage but tends to steam the vegetables without distinct browned flavours.
Can I use fresh herbs?
Yes. Fresh thyme can cook with the vegetables, while basil or parsley joins near the end. Begin sparingly so the vegetables remain prominent.
