The following recipe and excerpt for Rat-atouille are from “PIXAR: The Official Cookbook” by S. T. Bende and Tara Theoharis. It’s available for purchase on Amazon.
The famed critic Anton Ego once said, “Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist can come from anywhere.” And this classic French dish is sure to win raves of approval for any who are bold enough to prepare it. Basil, thyme, and oregano season a magnificent medley of vegetables. These ingredients come together to evoke warm memories of childhood games in the garden, families gathering together, and of course, the familiar, all-encompassing warmth that comes from sharing a home-cooked meal. This flavorful Rat-atouille is sure to be an instant classic. . . wherever it happens to be made.
Rat-atouille
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the Piperade: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, and then add the diced onion, red and yellow peppers, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes or until onion and peppers are softened. Add the tomato sauce, basil, one teaspoon of thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and ground pepper and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly reduced. Remove the pan from the heat and purée with an immersion blender or carefully move the soup to a standard blender and purée until smooth. Set aside 1/4 cup and spread the rest on the bottom of a large casserole dish or rimmed baking sheet.
- Make the vegetables: Using a mandoline, slice the zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash, and tomatoes into thin, even slices. Stack them and fan them out around the casserole dish, alternating vegetables. Mix one tablespoon of olive oil, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon of thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over the top of the vegetables. Place parchment paper over the top of the vegetables and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and bake for another 30 minutes.
- Take a small portion out and place delicately in the middle of a plate. Mix the piperade you set aside with the one tablespoon of olive oil and vinegar. Drizzle the vinaigrette around the ratatouille stack, and sprinkle parsley leaves around the plate. Cut 1-inch lengths of chives and place one on top of each stack.
- Serve to the harshest critic you know.
Notes
- Special tools needed: Immersion blender and Mandoline
