Baked Ratatouille with Mozzarella

When your veggie garden is going gang-busters, it must be time to make ratatouille... and not just because I love saying the word "ratatouille".

Ratatouille...



Baked Ratatouille with Mozzarella
from Luke Mangan's At Home and In the Mood
Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 large onion, peeled, thinly sliced
1 large eggplant, unpeeled, thinly sliced
2 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 pattypan squash
1 large red capsicum
3 vine tomatoes, sliced
115ml tomato juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
salt and pepper
good pinch of sugar
few drops of Tabasco
 few drops of Worcestershire sauce
Approx 200g mozzarella sliced (I used the cherry-sized mozzarella)


Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C.

Heat olive oil in a large wok. (Use a wok to give plenty of room to toss and stir while frying the vegetables).

Fry garlic and onion until just brown. Remove from wok and set aside.

Fry the eggplant, squash, zucchini and red capsicum and set aside. Add tomatoes, tomato juice, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, sugar and sauces. Heat through, then return all the vegetables to the wok and combine well.

Spoon the vegetable mix and juices into the ovenproof dish. Arrange the mozzarella on top. Place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and strew with torn basil leaves. This is particularly good served at room temperature, rather than piping hot.

I served mine with garlicky noodles.