Ratatouille is the Provençal stew of summer vegetables, aubergine, courgette, peppers, tomato and onion cooked slowly in olive oil, one of the dishes Avignon households still cook.
Also in: Nice.
The story of Ratatouille
The word comes from the Occitan ratatolha and the French touiller, to stir, and in the early 19th century it meant any coarse mixed stew. Tomatoes, peppers and squash reached France from the Americas but only became everyday food in the 18th and 19th centuries, and no recipe recognisable as modern ratatouille appears in print before the late 19th or early 20th century. It is most tied to Nice.
How to make Ratatouille
Serves: Serves 6
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines, in 2cm cubes
- 3 courgettes, in 2cm cubes
- 2 red peppers, in 2cm pieces
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- About 8 tbsp olive oil
- 2 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf
- A handful of basil leaves
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Fry the aubergine in 3 tbsp olive oil until golden, then remove; do the same with the courgettes and then the peppers, adding oil as needed.
- Soften the onions and garlic in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, thyme and bay and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Return the fried vegetables, season and cook gently, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick.
- Stir in torn basil off the heat.
Editor tip. Frying each vegetable separately keeps the pieces whole; ratatouille tastes better the next day, warm or at room temperature.
The editor picks for Ratatouille in Avignon are still in research. Meanwhile, see the Avignon signature-dishes index or the Avignon food guide.