Back to Basics: Ratatouille

Gather

• Oil (I used coconut oil)
• 3 small-medium onions
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 large aubergine chopped
• Salt to taste
• 3 medium courgettes chopped
• 1 x 400ml jar/carton passata
• 400ml cold water (in your passata container)
• Ground black pepper
• *optional fresh/dry herb of choice – basil, oregano, mixed

Prepare

1. Heat (or melt) the oil in a large (non-stick) pan. Chop each onion in half, then each piece into quarters. Add to the oil and gently break up with your spatula (you could use your hands to do this before you start cooking but you won’t thank me for smelly hands)! Cook until starting to turn translucent.
2. Add the garlic, then the aubergine, sprinkle some salt over and cook until the aubergine starts to soften. Add the courgette and continue cooking until everything starts to turn brown.
3. Pour the passata over and gently stir to combine. Use the passata container to add cold water (& get all the remaining passata out of the container). Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for five minutes. Add black pepper, taste test and add more salt if required.
4. Add dried herbs if you wish during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, or scatter over fresh herbs when serving. You may find the taste is so great as it is you don’t want to overpower it!
5. Enjoy!

Serve & Store

• This is best served warm (rather than hot).
• Serve as a main with brown rice or quinoa (or chips)!
• Use as a side to accompany something you’d usually have red sauce with!
• Try it with chunks of bread dipped in.
• Serve it up on toast (hot or cold).
• Top crackers with houmous then add a dollop of cold ratatouille!
• Delicious eaten cold with salad.
• Store refrigerated for up to three days.