Mary Ellen’s Ratatouille

ratatouille-credits-excerpted-from-food52-genius-recipes

½ cup olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

1 large garlic clove, cut in half and smashed

1 medium eggplant, cut in 1 inch chunks

1 large red pepper, cut in 1 inch pieces

1 large orange or yellow pepper, cut in 1 inch pieces

3 medium zucchini cut in 1 inch thick slices (if yellow zucchini is available, use combo of green and yellow)

1 T salt

2 tsp dried oregano or 1 tsp dried and 2 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano

¼ to ½ tsp red pepper flakes (depending on desired spiciness)

1 tsp sugar

1 small can (14.5 oz) of whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained. Save a little of the juice. Use your hands to break up the tomatoes.

2 large fresh tomatoes, cut in wedges

 

Heat oil until hot in 6 Qt saucepot or Dutch oven. Add onion and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Soften, but do not brown. Add eggplant and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring the mixture frequently. Stir in zucchini, canned tomatoes with a little of the juice, salt, oregano, sugar and pepper flakes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in fresh tomato wedges and heat through, about another 5-10 minutes. Serve hot. Can also be covered and refrigerated for several hours to be served cold.