Ratatouille

Note: I try to keep from writing any intro to a recipe because I HATE the long winded explanations that come with them but I wanted to make a note before you start this recipe. This is an end of summer dish you want to create with old, end of life, leftover vegetables. Its a great way to use what you already have, that’s why Ratatouille is known as a southern French peasant food. This version of ratatouille recipe is being made with what I already have in my refrigerator, today.

Inspired by Corre Larkin on Tik Tok

Ingredients:
- Cherry Tomatoes, whole
- Mini Bell Peppers, rough chopped
- Zucchini, rough chopped
- Eggplant, rough chopped
- Garlic, rough chopped
- Onion, rough chopped
- Sprigs of Thyme
- Sprigs of Rosemary
- Anchovy Fillets
- Trader Joes Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce
- Olive Oil
- Salt

Directions:
1. In a oven safe stoneware bakers dish or oven safe Dutch oven add tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, garlic, onion, thyme, rosemary, anchovy fillets, and a healthy fork full of Trader Joes Sauce.

2. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the ingredients.

3. Add a generous pinch of salt and stir to mix well.

4. Add your dish to a 435 degree oven for an hour.

5. At 45 minutes stir the veggies and remove the thyme and rosemary stems. Add a sprinkle of red wine vinegar and place back in the oven to continue cooking another 15 mins.

6. After an hour (total) remove the Ratatouille from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

7. Plate your Ratatouille and enjoy.

You can serve this dish warm, at room temperature, or cold. My favorite way to pair Ratatouille is with couscous, French bread, and cheeses. This can also be an excellent breakfast dish paired with a poached egg or rolled into a French omelet. If you need a main meat for dinner Ratatouille makes an excellent side dish to lamb and veal.