Ratatouille-A Guest Post

Owing to some personal work and deadlines, a friend of mine willingly offered to do a guest post for me. We were very fortunate to have met online following which she made a lightning visit this side a couple of months back. We are very fond of each other and reach out for one another whenever and however possible despite our busy lives as mothers and wives.

We took an instant liking for each other and do respect one another's space and time but if one of us goes missing in action for a while...we do press the SOS buttons until our tension has been quelled! She always shares so many recipes of hers or the ones that she has tried and tested for the family...I am unable to keep pace with her at times and they all are tucked away safely in my collection of "to do" and bookmarked. Time always seems to be the spoilsport here.

She is well travelled and shares so much with her readers through her photos and a great deal with me especially on a personal front. It was an instant connect.

She had done this attractive recipe on Ratatouille ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratatouille) that bowled me over. Remember the movie? Most of the inspiring quotes I have displayed here are taken from google images from the same movie. Indeed I have seen many versions of the same on TV and read recipes but I felt hers needed a podium to showcase this magnificent and mind-blowing bake hence chose to share it here on my blog as well as on my FB page! I loved her pictures and the patience in which she has jotted down the recipe for me. I am going to do a cut and paste of her recipe herewith :-

Ratatouille Casserole

 Ingredients

1 onion peeled & chopped

2 carrots, peeled & chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 tbsp. butter & olive oil

1 tbsp. garlic, minced

1 yellow & 1 Red Bell pepper, charred, peeled, seeds & ribs removed

2 green chillies slit

750 grams blanched & crushed tomatoes

1 tsp. mixed dry herbs – thyme, rosemary, oregano

Salt, Pepper to taste

6 fresh basil leaves

 

Sliced veggies

2 yellow zucchinis, 2 green zucchinis, 2 Chinese eggplants, 6 tomatoes, sliced into 1/16^th inch rounds.

 

Seasoning

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. thyme

Salt, Pepper to taste

 

Method

 

Heat butter & olive oil and add the onion, carrot & celery and cook on high heat for 10 minutes. Add the garlic & cook for 3 more minutes, now stirring add the chopped peppers and tomatoes and herbs & cook for about 20 minutes . Season it and remove, cool. Blend it all adding a few fresh basil leaves.

This is the base.

 

Pour this base onto the baking dish and arrange the sliced veggies. Sprinkle some salt & pepper &  olive oil-thyme garlic seasoning.  (Into 2 tbsp. olive oil add 1 tsp.  minced garlic & 1 tsp. thyme).

 

Cover the dish with aluminium foil and bake at 200 degrees C for 40 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, and turn your broiler on to high. Layer shaved or sliced cheese on top of the cooked vegetables, then bake until the cheese gets bubbly and brown. Let the dish sit for a couple minutes, garnish with freshly chopped basil, and serve.

 

Note – the base needs to be a wee bit thicker as the veggies release a lot of water when baked.

All the pics of the bake are the sole property of my friend's and have been used here with her permission and share.

 

 

 I owe you one babe! I am so pressed for time and thank you for sharing your beautiful bake from your kitchen to mine.

You would never find me this organized!!!

 

Thank you so much Meens! Will bother you another month...so stop posting beautiful pictures of your bakes!!! Just Kidding! I toast to our friendship and will cherish all our hurried and lil chats that we manage. Hugs!

 

In the midst of my Florence Nightingale moments , this share was such a blessing! Grateful!