Ratatouille Provençale

🥘 Ingredients

• bay leaf
  1
• chopped basil
  4 tbsp
• diced tomatoes
  1 14-oz can
• dried thyme (alternative)
  1/2 tsp
• eggplant
  1 medium
• fresh thyme
  3 sprigs
• garlic
  3 cloves
• olive oil
  4 tbsp, 2 Tbsp
• pepper
• pitted black olives (optional)
• red bell peppers
  2 large
• salt
• sliced onions
  1.5 c
• zucchini
  1 lb

🍳 Cookware

• large skillet or Dutch oven

1. 1

   Served on a platter that shows off its contrasting colors, this dish look like a colorful Cubist style life.
2. 2

   Heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat 1/4 cup olive oil .

   olive oil: 4 tbsp
3. 3

   Add and cook, stirring, until golden and just tender, 10 to ⏱️ 12 minutes eggplant , peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks and zucchini , cut into 1-inch chunks.

   eggplant: 1 medium, zucchini: 1 lb
4. 4

   Remove the vegetables to a plate and reduce the heat to medium-high. Add and cook, stirring, until the onions are slightly softened 2 Tbsp olive oil and sliced onions .

   olive oil: 2 Tbsp, sliced onions: 1.5 c
5. 5

   Add and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender but now browned, 8 to ⏱️ 12 minutes red bell peppers , cut into 1-inch squares and garlic , finely chopped.

   red bell peppers: 2 large, garlic: 3 cloves
6. 6

   Season with salt and pepper to taste.

   salt, pepper
7. 7

   Add diced tomatoes , drained, fresh thyme or dried thyme (alternative) and 1 bay leaf .

   diced tomatoes: 1 14-oz can, fresh thyme: 3 sprigs, dried thyme (alternative): 1/2 tsp, bay leaf: 1
8. 8

   Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for ⏱️ 5 minutes . Add the eggplant and zucchini and cook until everything is tender, about ⏱️ 20 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in chopped basil and pitted black olives (optional) , chopped.

   chopped basil: 4 tbsp, pitted black olives (optional)