Serves 6
The French Provencal dish ratatouille is made with late-summer vegetables, including eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, and tomatoes. Some cooks saute each vegetable separately, but it's much easier to cook them all in one big pot, starting with ingredients that require the longest cooking, then adding the quicker cooking ones. Serve ratatouille as a chunky vegetable stew, warm or chilled, or paired with grilled meats or, as it is here, as a sauce for pasta. A little browned andouille sausage, which is fully cooked, adds a smoky-spicy flavor. Ladle the ratatouille over short pasta and sprinkle with fresh basil.
6
tablespoons olive oil
6
ounces (fully cooked) andouille sausage, cut into thin slices
1
large onion, coarsely chopped
1
medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2
medium globe eggplants (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2
teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
2
medium zucchini (about 1 pound), quartered lengthwise, cut into 1-inch pieces
3
cloves garlic, finely chopped
1
tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3
large tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds) cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
Black pepper, to taste
1
pound short pasta, such as mezzi rigatoni, casarecce, gemelli, or cavatappi
1
sprig fresh basil, leaves torn
1. In a large flameproof casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the andouille and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes or until nicely browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate. (There should be 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil remaining in the pot.)
2. Lower the heat to medium. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil to the pan. When it is hot, add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables soften.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the eggplants and 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the eggplant starts to soften.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. or until the zucchini softens. Stir in the garlic and thyme.
5. Add the tomatoes and a generous grinding of black pepper. Lower the heat to medium. Simmer gently, stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables soften and there is a little sauce in the pan.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions, or until the pasta is tender but still has some bite. Drain into a colander but do not rinse.
7. Return the andouille to the pan of vegetables and stir well. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. Keep over low heat until the past is ready.
8. Divide the pasta among 6 shallow bowls. Spoon ratatouille on top. Sprinkle with basil.
Lisa Zwirn
Serves 6
The French Provencal dish ratatouille is made with late-summer vegetables, including eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, and tomatoes. Some cooks saute each vegetable separately, but it's much easier to cook them all in one big pot, starting with ingredients that require the longest cooking, then adding the quicker cooking ones. Serve ratatouille as a chunky vegetable stew, warm or chilled, or paired with grilled meats or, as it is here, as a sauce for pasta. A little browned andouille sausage, which is fully cooked, adds a smoky-spicy flavor. Ladle the ratatouille over short pasta and sprinkle with fresh basil.
| 6 | tablespoons olive oil |
| 6 | ounces (fully cooked) andouille sausage, cut into thin slices |
| 1 | large onion, coarsely chopped |
| 1 | medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces |
| 2 | medium globe eggplants (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces |
| 2 | teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste |
| 2 | medium zucchini (about 1 pound), quartered lengthwise, cut into 1-inch pieces |
| 3 | cloves garlic, finely chopped |
| 1 | tablespoon chopped fresh thyme |
| 3 | large tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds) cored and cut into 1-inch pieces |
| Black pepper, to taste | |
| 1 | pound short pasta, such as mezzi rigatoni, casarecce, gemelli, or cavatappi |
| 1 | sprig fresh basil, leaves torn |
1. In a large flameproof casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the andouille and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes or until nicely browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate. (There should be 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil remaining in the pot.)
2. Lower the heat to medium. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil to the pan. When it is hot, add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables soften.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the eggplants and 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the eggplant starts to soften.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. or until the zucchini softens. Stir in the garlic and thyme.
5. Add the tomatoes and a generous grinding of black pepper. Lower the heat to medium. Simmer gently, stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables soften and there is a little sauce in the pan.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions, or until the pasta is tender but still has some bite. Drain into a colander but do not rinse.
7. Return the andouille to the pan of vegetables and stir well. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. Keep over low heat until the past is ready.
8. Divide the pasta among 6 shallow bowls. Spoon ratatouille on top. Sprinkle with basil.
Lisa Zwirn can be reached at lzwirn9093@gmail.com.