Recipe: Roasted Ratatouille

Make the most of the late autumn vegetables with this classic French dish that is made even more delicious through the roasting process. Ratatouille is a wonderful accompaniment to grilled chicken, meat or fish and is also superb served on its own. To partially prepare this dish in advance, omit the salt at step 2, cover and refrigerate and add the salt just prior to cooking.

Ingredients (serves 4-6):
1 large red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1 red or yellow capsicum, cut into 3cm chunks
1 medium eggplant, quartered and cut into 1cm slices
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthways and cut into 3cm chunks
250g cherry tomatoes, skin pieced with a paring knife (so they don’t burst)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Good grinding of freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt
Garnish: basil leaves

Equipment:
Large roasting pan or baking tray

Method (15 minutes prep + 30 minutes cooking):
1. Preheat an oven to 200°C.
2. Combine all ingredients except basil in a large bowl and mix well.
3. Spread the vegetables in the roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes or until vegetables are golden and tender, turning once or twice during cooking.
4. Sprinkle with basil leaves and serve. Can also be served cold.