I love this film and I love this dish, nothing could be more lost in translation when the English name for this dish is “Vegetable Stew”! How on earth could vegetable stew ever describe the flavour, warmth and vibrant colours that this dish delivers.
 
This dish is so flexible, make loads, eat some the next day, or the day after, not out of the fridge but at room temperature with lots of Parmesan on top, or warm it a little and top it with a fried or poach egg. Spread it across a fresh baguette and drench it with good olive oil and you have a glorious snack.
 
Ratatouille can be eaten alone or works well as a side dish as it goes with everything from grilled sea bream to a leg of lamb.
 
However you eat it, enjoy !
 
Buon appetito

Ratatouille is such a sophisticated dish. It should be cooked slowly and when it is ready the colours should be vibrant but totally merged.
 
For 6
 
2 onions, peeled & cut into large dice
6 garlic cloves, peeled & sliced
50ml extra virgin olive oil
5 large tomatoes, cored & chopped
2 strips dried orange zest, see link below for recipe
1 small bunch of thyme
100ml vegetable oil
2 large red or yellow peppers, cored, seeded & cut into 4cm chunks
1 large aubergine, cut into 4cm chunks
2 large courgettes, cut into 4cm chunks
salt & cayenne pepper (I used 1 teaspoon of cayenne)
Soft brown sugar (I used 2 tablespoons)
 
Sweat the onion and garlic in the olive oil for 10 minutes without colouring until soft. Add the tomato, orange zest and thyme, and cook at a simmer while you saute the other vegetables.
 
Heat a third of the vegetable oil and saute first the peppers for 5 minutes. Season them and add to the onion, garlic and tomato. Wipe out the pan and do the same. separately, with the aubergine and courgette.
 
Simmer everything together gently for 30 minutes or so until the vegetables are completely soft but not dissolving.
 
Season to taste with salt, cayenne pepper and sugar. I stirred these ingredients in a few minutes from the end of cooking time, just so they had time to cook.