Ratatouille au gratin

4
Points®
Total Time
41 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
26 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Moderate
Here's a showstopper of an entrée that will please any palate. The medley of vegetables, from onions and garlic to bell peppers, eggplants, and zucchini, is a tasty and colorful addition to just about any meal. Here, we’ve topped it with a crunchy Parmesan-breadcrumb mixture for extra impact. It takes just 40 minutes to make from start to finish, while you finish it off in the broiler to get that perfect golden brown crust. Just be sure to watch the gratin in this final stage, as broilers can vary wildly in heat intensity and you don't want the crust to get too browned.

Ingredients

Olive oil

4 tsp

Onion

1 large, chopped

Garlic

2 clove(s), minced

Yellow bell pepper

1 medium, cut into 1⁄2-inch strips

Green bell pepper

1 medium, cut into 1⁄2-inch strips

Water

1 cup(s)

Uncooked eggplant

1¼ pound(s), peeled and chopped

Uncooked zucchini

8 oz, chopped

Canned diced tomatoes

14 oz, with juice

Canned tomato juice

1 cup(s)

Basil

1 Tbsp, fresh, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried

Fresh oregano

1 Tbsp, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried

Fresh thyme

1 Tbsp, fresh, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried

Table salt

¼ tsp

Black pepper

tsp, freshly ground, or to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup(s), fresh

Dried plain breadcrumbs

¼ cup(s), plain variety

Fresh parsley

1 tsp, fresh, (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add the yellow and green peppers and 1/2 cup of the water; cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the peppers are wilted. Add the eggplant, zucchini, and the remaining 1/2 cup water; cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the eggplant and zucchini are wilted. Add the tomatoes, tomato juice, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are tender, 15–20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Spray a 2-quart shallow baking dish with nonstick spray.
  4. Transfer the ratatouille to the baking dish. Combine the cheese and bread crumbs in a small bowl; sprinkle the mixture over the ratatouille. Broil 5 inches from the heat, watching carefully, until the top is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley, if using. Yields 1 cup per serving.