Easy French Ratatouille: The Recipe to Cook it in the Frying Pan

The ratatouille is a course made of seasonal vegetables that was born in France, more precisely in Nice, in fact the recipe is originally called ratatouille niçoise. Born as a peasant food prepared by Provençal farmers to use vegetables, only later spread throughout Europe, also thanks to the animated movie of Disney Pixar.
It is a vegan and light recipe, perfect as a side dish for meat and fish courses, reminiscent of Italian peperonata. It can be prepared either in the oven or in a frying pan.

How to make ratatouille

Start by cutting the carrots for the long side 1, then cut again the two halves along the long side obtained. Now cut them again in small triangles 2. Repeat the same operation with zucchini, in order to obtain small triangles of the same size 3.

Step 1

Step 1

Start by cutting the carrots for the long side 1, then cut again the two halves along the long side obtained. Now cut them again in small triangles 2. Repeat the same operation with zucchini, in order to obtain small triangles of the same size 3.

Wash the pepper, open it and remove the white parts. Now divide it into four parts 4 and then into thin strips, at this point cut them to obtain small squares of the same size as the carrots 5. Then wash the eggplant and cut it into slices, then cut each slice into strips 6.

Step 2

Step 2

Wash the pepper, open it and remove the white parts. Now divide it into four parts 4 and then into thin strips, at this point cut them to obtain small squares of the same size as the carrots 5. Then wash the eggplant and cut it into slices, then cut each slice into strips 6.

Afterwards, make some small squares from the eggplant, more or less the same size as the other vegetables 7. Then, cut the tomatoes first into slices 8 and then immediately after into small squares 9.

Step 3

Step 3

Afterwards, make some small squares from the eggplant, more or less the same size as the other vegetables 7. Then, cut the tomatoes first into slices 8 and then immediately after into small squares 9.

Now that the vegetables are all ready, put in a frying pan a bit of oil and fry a clove of garlic. Add the carrots and let them fry for about 5/6 minutes 10. Add the yellow pepper and fry it for about 10 minutes 11.

Step 4

Step 4

Now that the vegetables are all ready, put in a frying pan a bit of oil and fry a clove of garlic. Add the carrots and let them fry for about 5/6 minutes 10. Add the yellow pepper and fry it for about 10 minutes 11.

Now remove the clove of garlic from the frying pan, because it has already left its scent. Now add the zucchini, and let them cook for about 5 minutes 12.

Add the eggplants and let them cook for about 6/7 minutes 13, and finally add also the tomatoes 14. Then add the tomato sauce 15, and let it cook for other 15/20 minutes.

Step 5

Step 5

Now remove the clove of garlic from the frying pan, because it has already left its scent. Now add the zucchini, and let them cook for about 5 minutes 12.

Decorate with a few leaves of fresh basil and add some aromatic herbs. You can serve ratatouille either hot or cold, with boiled rice or cous cous.

Variants

The ratatouille of vegetables is a course that has many simple variants. So, here to you two very tasty variations:

Sweet and Sour Ratatouille

The ratatouille is the French version of the Italian caponata and so, for this reason, even the sweet and sour version is an incredible delight. When you add tomatoes to vegetables, add also two tablespoons of sugar and two tablespoons of wine vinegar. Balance well the taste, at your pleasure. You can also add a handful of black olives.

Ratatouille with potatoes

The ratatouille can be enriched also by potatoes. Follow the preparation of the original recipe, cutting all the vegetables and putting them aside, separated from each other. Then peel a potato and cut it into small cubes, so that they will be uniformly cooked together with the other vegetables. Put a bit of oil in the frying pan with a clove of garlic and, before the carrots, put the small cubes of potatoes, because cooking times are longer. Then after 10 minutes add the vegetables, always according to cooking order.

How to store Ratatouille

The ratatouille can be perfectly preserved in a hermetically sealed container in the refrigerator for 5 days. But if you have to preserve it longer, you can freeze it, dividing it in more portions so you do not have to defrost it all together. To defrost it, leave it in the fridge for a few hours and then quickly heat it in the microwave oven.