This dish is deceptively delectable! I honestly cannot tell you how good it it. The flavors are perfectly synchronized so that the dish is light and savory and sweet and salty and everything! Also, I forgot the mention the dreamy broth that is produced in the wake of the baking/steaming vegetables. It is so good! What I would imagine a fume would taste like - minus the fish, of course. We ate it as the main course....and that was it. Although part of that probably had to do with the fact my husband was finishing up his finals in his first year of law school.....ya we didn't see much of each other for about 2 weeks, yuck. You could also serve it as a side dish at a BBQ or something akin, it would compliment grilled chicken or steak wonderfully!
So it's not really ratatouille, but you have to admit that it looks like it! And it tastes like I thought it would. I didn't use any particularly pricey ingredients and so, the title was born. The prep work really isn't that bad and then all you have to do is pop it in the oven. It would work well to prep the night or morning before and then just slide it into the oven about 45 minutes before you have scheduled dinner. Really don't be afraid to be a bit heavy-handed with the salt and pepper. Remember that these are raw vegetables and they need the flavor!
So it's not really ratatouille, but you have to admit that it looks like it! And it tastes like I thought it would. I didn't use any particularly pricey ingredients and so, the title was born. The prep work really isn't that bad and then all you have to do is pop it in the oven. It would work well to prep the night or morning before and then just slide it into the oven about 45 minutes before you have scheduled dinner. Really don't be afraid to be a bit heavy-handed with the salt and pepper. Remember that these are raw vegetables and they need the flavor!
College Ratatouille
Serves: 4 Time: 60 min
Ingredients
1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 white button mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes
2 yellow squash
2 zucchini
1 t thyme
1 t basil
1 t. parsley
salt and pepper - generous
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Serves: 4 Time: 60 min
Ingredients
1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 white button mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes
2 yellow squash
2 zucchini
1 t thyme
1 t basil
1 t. parsley
salt and pepper - generous
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400oF. Heat olive oil in a small frying pan over medium high heat.
- Add onions, mushrooms and garlic to frying pan. Cook till softened, about 5 minutes.
- Lightly grease an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish. Add onion mixture to the bottom of the dish.
- Thinly slice the tomatoes, squash, and zucchini. Layer vegetables, in vertical fashion, on top of the onion mixture. Do so in an alternating fashion.
- Season mixture with basil, thyme, parsley and salt & pepper. Don't be afraid to be heavy-handed with the salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle mixture with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook an additional 12-15 minutes so that cheese becomes slightly toasted (especially around the edges).