French ratatouille savory pie tutorial
Ratatouille, a classic French dish, finds a new avatar in this vegetarian and eggless savory pie. Originating from Nice, ratatouille traditionally combines summer vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers. This pie version encapsulates the essence of the original dish within a flaky crust, making it an ideal meal for any time of the day. Let's get cooking.
Gather the following ingredients
For this recipe, you'll need a ready-to-use pie crust, a small eggplant, a zucchini, a yellow squash, a red bell pepper, two tomatoes, and two tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. For the sauce, mix one finely chopped onion, two minced cloves of garlic, a 400g can of crushed tomatoes, and a teaspoon each of dried basil and oregano.
Prepare the vegetables
Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash all your vegetables thoroughly. Slice the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and red bell pepper into uniformly thin rounds. Slice the tomatoes similarly to ensure even cooking. Lightly salt the eggplant slices to draw out moisture and lessen their bitterness; after letting them sit for 10 minutes, pat them dry with paper towels.
Make the sauce
While preparing vegetables, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chopped onions and minced garlic, sauteing until they turn translucent but not browned, about five minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes along with dried basil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper according to taste. Allow it to simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
Assemble your pie
Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of your pie crust; this prevents sogginess by creating a barrier between crust and vegetables. Begin arranging vegetable slices in concentric circles, starting from the outer edge toward the center atop the sauce layer; alternate between different types for variety in color and flavor. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
Bake your masterpiece
Bake the pie on the middle rack at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes, checking at 40 minutes for a golden crust and tender vegetables. Let it cool slightly before serving to blend flavors. This dish combines fresh vegetables and herbs in pastry, offering a unique twist on traditional ratatouille, perfect as a main course or side dish.
