Baked Ratatouille with Goat Cheese and Pesto
Classic Provençal ratatouille, made a little easier — combine roughly chopped summer vegetables and roast until caramelized and jammy. Finish the dish with crumbled goat cheese and a swirl of basil pesto while everything is still steaming hot.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) eggplant
- 2 small zucchini sliced into ½-inch rounds 8-10 ounces
- 1 red or orange bell pepper sliced into large bite-size pieces
- ½ cup sliced red onion
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves plus 3 or 4 sprigs
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 cloves crushed or grated garlic
- 1 cup (250 ml) canned crushed tomatoes or puree
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or quartered vine tomatoes
- ½ cup (75 g) soft goat cheese or crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) basil pesto sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 (220 C) degrees.
- Peel 1 pound eggplant, or leave some of the skin on in strips. Trim off the stem, slice into quarters lengthwise, then slice into 1-inch thick half moons.
- Put the eggplant in a large bowl with 2 small zucchini sliced into ½-inch rounds, 1 red or orange bell pepper sliced into large bite-size pieces, and ½ cup sliced red onionAdd 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper. Toss it all together.
- Stir the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, 2 cloves crushed or grated garlic and black pepper into 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes or puree. Spread over the bottom of a 4-5 quart casserole or baking dish.
- Arrange the vegetable mixture in the dish in one layer. Top with 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or quartered vine tomatoes and thyme sprigs. Bake 30-35 minutes. The juices should be bubbling and the eggplant tender when pierced with a the tip of a knife. Remove the thyme stems (you can crumble the leaves over the dish first).
- Crumble ½ cup soft goat cheese over the ratatouille and evenly spoon over 2 tablespoons basil pesto sauce. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- A batch of this baked ratatouille serves up to 6 people as a side, or 4 as a main dish. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezing: Prepare and bake without the cheese and pesto. Freeze in a well wrapped container for up to 1 month. Defrost and heat at 350F about 20 minutes. Add the cheese and pesto before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 187kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 7gFat: 13gSodium: 744mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7g
