Baked ratatouille & goat’s cheese

Method 1

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil

2 red onions

chopped

2 garlic cloves

finely chopped

2 aubergines

diced

2 red peppers

seeded and diced

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp soy sauce

500ml passata

200g young goat’s cheese

4 courgettes

(a mixture of green and yellow looks nice), thinly sliced

For the cheese sauce

400ml milk

50g unsalted butter

50g plain flour

80g parmesan

or vegetarian alternative, finely grated

step 1

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy frying pan and gently cook the red onion and garlic for 5 mins until just starting to brown. Scatter over the aubergine and red pepper and sizzle for another 4 mins, adding more oil if you need to. Season well and stir through the paprika, then splash in the vinegar and soy sauce. Pour over the passata, then simmer for 5 mins until glossy and thick. Turn off the heat. Can be made up to two days ahead and kept in the fridge.

step 2

To make the cheese sauce, heat the milk in a heavy saucepan until simmering. In a separate pan, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir to make a paste. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and simmer gently for 2-3 mins, stirring continually until thickened slightly. Stir in the parmesan and season.

step 3

Tip the ratatouille into an ovenproof dish, then completely cover it with the cheese sauce. Crumble over the goat’s cheese and arrange the courgette slices on top in concentric circles, alternating between green and yellow if you have them. Can be assembled several hours before cooking.

step 4

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Brush or drizzle the remaining oil over the courgette slices and season with sea salt. Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins until the courgettes are cooked through and starting to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 mins before serving.

Method 2

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, diced

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

4 ounces of goat's cheese, crumbled

Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. In a large skillet, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened.

3. Add the eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers to the skillet. Cook until the vegetables are slightly softened.

4. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes.

5. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Top with crumbled goat's cheese.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

7. Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.

Comments

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