Ratatouille with Garlic Toast

Ingredients

• Three to four (3-4) small onions, chopped
• Three (3) mediums eggplants, 1/4” slices
• Three (3) medium zucchini, 1/4” slices
• Four to five (4-5) medium tomatoes

(more or less equal amounts of each vegetable)

for the garlic toast

• Two (2) cloves garlic
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Bunch of basil
• One (1) baguette or French bread loaf, cut in half or in slices

Directions

Make the ratatouille:

1. Heat a large skillet and add two (2) tablespoons of olive oil.
    
2. Drop in one of the garlic cloves followed by the onions and a pitch of salt.
    
3. Cook the onions for a few minutes until they start turning translucent, then add the eggplant and zucchini slices with another big pinch of salt.
    
4. Gently stir together then cover with a lid, reduce heat a bit, and cook for another fifteen (15) minutes or so, or until the veggies are completely soft. Check in every few minutes. (Also stir gently as to not break up the veggies too much.)
    
5. Meanwhile, peel the tomatoes by quartering them, then, with the skin sides facing down, fillet the tomatoes from the skin. Discard the skins. (This can also be done by scoring the tomatoes and boiling them in water for a minute, or steaming them with the other veggies, but this “fillet” technique is much faster and easier).
    
6. Chop the tomatoes.
    
7. When the zucchini and eggplant is tender, add the tomatoes to the pot with another pinch of salt and cover to cover another five (5) minutes or so.
    
8. To finish the dish, add another two (2) tablespoons of olive and a handful of basil leaves.
    
9. Taste for salt and add more if needed.

Make the garlic toast:

1. Heat another skillet to medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil.
    
2. Toast each piece of bread in the oil on both sides until golden brown and crispy.
    
3. Immediately sprinkle with a little bit of salt and rub with the other clove of garlic.

Serve the ratatouille in bowls with the toasts. Top with more basil.