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Remy's Ratatouille

A flavorful, simple recipe that is sure to impress even the most discerning Anton Egos.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword ratatouille, tian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

For the ratatouille

  • 2-4 cups canned tomato sauce high quality tomato basil sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 3-4 sprigs thyme
  • 1 tsp red chili flakes
  • 3 tsp herbs de Provence (optional)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 eggplant (thinly sliced)
  • 1 yellow squash (thinly sliced)
  • 1 zucchini (thinly sliced)
  • 2-3 roma tomatoes (thinly sliced)
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the Béchamel Sauce

  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup 2% milk (or whole milk) warm, or room temp
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tsp turmeric (for color)
  • 2 tsp MSG (yeah I know, but trust me)

Instructions

To make the béchamel sauce

  1. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a medium sauce pan over med heat. Once melted, add in 1 tbsp flour and cook until it smells nutty (1-2 min). Add in the warm milk slowly while whisking constantly to break up clumps. Once milk is fully incorporated, add in salt, pepper, nutmeg, and MSG. Stir to combine and set aside.

To make the ratatouille

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F, slice all vegetables thinly using a mandolin. Salt each side of the eggplant and let rest on a layer of paper towels to sweat.

  2. Spray bottom of cast iron skillet with spray oil or spread a thin layer of EVOO along the bottom. Pour in your tomato sauce, sprinkle your minced garlic, thyme, and chili flakes over the top along with herbs de Provence (optional). Drizzle the béchamel sauce over the top of this.

  3. Arrange sliced vegetables in a repeating pattern along the outside wall of the skillet working inward. (it helps to gather a stack in your hand first, then place in the pan vs. one slice at a time) Once sliced vegetables have covered the tomato sauce, drizzle olive oil over top and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme.

  4. Cut parchment paper to fit inside skillet and cover. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Allow to cool and serve with some homemade focaccia bread (recipe to come)

Recipe Notes

I essentially doubled this recipe when I took pictures, feel free to make as many pans as you'd like.  A standard baking sheet will also work if you don't have a cast iron skillet.  MSG might not be your typical pantry staple, but I'd implore you to add it and give it a chance (it's in more things than you'd think)