Ratatouille gratin is such a healthy and fulfilling dish. This is a peasant dish with its origins from rural areas of Nice, France, it’s nutritious and filling at the same time. This dish rose to glory with the Pixar movie with the same name. There are several variations of the recipe and I am sharing the recipe for Ratatouille Gratin which I made recently for a friend’s potluck dinner.

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 50 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
DIFFICULTY SCALE: Hard

INGREDIENTS: 

 For the tomato sauce: 

  1. Tomatoes – 4 large, steamed and de-skinned
  2. Red Bell pepper – 1, steamed and de-skinned
  3. Onion (finely chopped) – 1 medium
  4. Garlic – 3-4 cloves
  5. Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons
  6. Black Pepper – 1 teaspoon
  7. Dried chilli flakes – 1 tablespoon
  8. Sugar – 1/2 teaspoon
  9. Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon
  10. Dried herbs – 1 tablespoon
  11. Salt – to taste

For the Béchamel or White Sauce:

  1. All purpose flour/maida – 1 tablespoon
  2. Butter – 1 tablespoon
  3. Milk – 1 1/2 cup
  4. Parmesan Cheese – 3/4 cup, grated
  5. Black Pepper – 1 teaspoon
  6. Salt – to taste

For vegetable layers:

  1. Red bell peppers – 1
  2. Yellow bell peppers – 1
  3. Zucchini – 1-2
  4. Long aubergine – 1-2
  5. Olive oil – 2 tablespoons, for drizzling
  6. Breadcrumbs – 1 cup
  7. Parmesan – ½ cup
  8. Mozzarella – ½ cup

RECIPE:

1.Boil water in a pan and add the tomatoes to it. Remove the tomatoes after 2-3 minutes and place them under cold water. Remove the skins of the tomatoes.
2. Roast a red bell pepper over a flame. Remove its skin once its roasted properly.
3. Puree the tomatoes and bell pepper and turn it into a smooth paste.
4. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and add crushed garlic cloves and onions to it till they start turning translucent.
5. Add the tomato and bell pepper puree and allow it to come to a boil.
6. Once the sauce thickens up after 5-7 minutes, add lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper, paprika and the seasoning.
7. Add butter in a heavy bottom pan and allow it to melt.
8. Crush the garlic cloves and add to the melted butter. Allow garlic to brown a little.
9. Add 2 tablespoons of All Purpose flour or maida to it and stir till the flour starts changing colour.
10. Slowly pour in the milk and keep whisking the mixture continuously.
11. Allow the mixture to thicken on low heat and then add salt, pepper and the grated cheese. Mix thoroughly and remove from heat.
12. Cut thin slices of all the veggies and drizzle some olive oil, herbs and salt on them.
13. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
14. In a skillet, add the tomato sauce and layer all the veggies in the pan in a circular pattern.
15. Add breadcrumbs and grated cheese on top.
16. Once done, place the dish for 50 minutes at 180 degree Celsius.
17. Serve hot.