RATATOUILLE ( Rumanian “ghiveci”)

END OF SUMMER! The farmer’s market is magnificent! TOMATOES, EGGPLANT, PEPPERS, ZUCCHINI, …. rainbows of colors, variety of fruits and vegetable!!!!!!!!!!!

This time is bringing me to my childhood time, not yet schools day, but close, and my mother and grandmother cooking and cooking for one pot dish, that is going to be around for few days…. It looked so big in my mind and I was waiting and waiting to be ready: Romanian “ GHIVECI” or ratatouille in some American’s cookbooks.

 
Ingredients (Serves 8)

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 2 medium onions, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 large eggplants, (2 pounds), peeled in strips and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

• 4 to 5 medium zucchini, (2 pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes

• Half cauliflower, chopped

• Half chopped cabbage

• 1lb carrot, coarse chopped

• 3 yellow or red bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

• 5 Tomatoes fresh (or 1 /28 oz/ can)

• Thyme (fresh or dry)

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

• Coarse salt and ground pepper

 First of all, you start add all the vegetables you have together to start, cleaning, chopping and adding yo the pot:

Onion and garlic, clean and chopped

 onion, garlic,  caramelized in a frying pot, to bring all the flavor and sweet of sun and summer:

 Start by cleaning  and chopping vegetables, as many as you have:

For the eggplant, slice  and add some salt to be drain all of bitterness.

 

After a while you should squeeze the eggplant slices, before you add to the pot.

Add tomatoe sliced or tomatoe pasta.

Cut few bunches of dill and parsley, chopped coarse and add to the pot:

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven (or other heavy 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid), heat oil over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Arrange layers of chopped vegetable: eggplant, cauliflower, carrot, bell pepper, zucchini; season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Cover generously with sliced tomatoes

4. Stir in basil and thyme.

5. Cover and bake at 350F for 60-70 minutes, until the vegetable are cooked.

6. OPTIONAL: you can add some pork chops or chicken cutlets, in between layers.

Cover and bake at 350F for 60-70 minutes, the vegetables are cooked and there is a little sauce.....

Bonne apetit!