Ratatouille

Time: 1 hour 15 min (15 prep, 1 hour cook)

Serves 6

Yields 9.5″ pie casserole (it doesn’t fit in this size, ended up transfering to the pan bigger than my 9×13)

• 1-2 C tomato sauce (good quality tomato basil sauce)
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 3-4 thyme sprigs
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1 egg plant or brinjal, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow squash, thinly sliced
• 1 zuccini, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2-3 red potatoes, medium size, thinly sliced
• salt and black pepper
• oil spray

Bechamel Sauce (double)

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1 C milk (2 % or whole)
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Bring 2 C water to rolling boil. Season with salt.  Slice potatoes.   Drop in water and boil for 3-4 minutes or until par cooked.  Drain on a paper towel and set aside.  While potatoes cook and cool down, slice rest of veggies.
2. Make bechamel sauce: microwave milk.  Heat butter in sauce pan.  Add flour and cook until raw flavor of flour goes away, 1-2 minutes.  Don’t let flour burn.  Add warm milk, 1/4 C at a time and stir well to avoid lumps.  Add all fo milk and continue cooking until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.  Season with salt, nutmeg, and black pepper.  Set aside.
3. Spray baking dish with cooking spray.  Spread layer of tomato sauce (1 C or more based on preference–I did 2 last time, I think 1.5-2 is good), minced garlic, thyme, red chili flakes, salt and olive oil.  Mix well while still leaving well spread.  Drizzle bechamel sauce on top, swirl into the tomato sauce. 
4. Layer sliced vegetables on top.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle (don’t be shy) salt, thyme, and black pepper on top. 
5. Cover with parchment paper.  Back for 55-60 minutes or until all veggies are tender.  You will see tomato sauce bubbling on the sides.
6. Let it cool for 5 minutes.  Serve with crusty bread to scoop the sauce.

Chefdehome