Traditional Provençal Vegetable Stew Ratatouille

Ratatouille starts with preparing the vegetables: cut the eggplant and zucchini into cubes about 2 cm in size and lightly salt the eggplant to draw out the bitter juices. Let it rest for about 15 minutes and then pat dry with a paper towel.

Remove the cores from the bell peppers and cut them into pieces similar in size to the eggplant and zucchini. Peel and finely chop the onion, peel the garlic and press or mince it finely.

Briefly blanch the tomatoes in boiling water, peel them, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into smaller cubes for stewing.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a deep pan and saute the onion over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute briefly to release its aroma.

Add the bell peppers and saute for another 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Then remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

Add two more tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and gradually saute the eggplant and zucchini until golden brown, always in batches so the vegetables do not stew in their own juices. This takes about 5 to 7 minutes per batch.

Return all the sauteed vegetables to the pan, add the chopped tomatoes and two tablespoons of tomato paste, stir, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Add the sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and the bay leaf, reduce the heat, and simmer covered for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables soften and the sauce thickens nicely. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

Before the end of stewing, remove the herb sprigs and bay leaf, taste, and if needed, add more salt or pepper.

Let the ratatouille rest for a few minutes before serving so the flavors can meld. Serve warm in a deep plate, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of quality olive oil.