The ratatouille is a country dish originated in France. But like many other dishes, it spread across the world and many countries have their own version of ratatouille. In general, it’s a coarse stew of mixed vegetables: tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion and garlic, some spices. The version I cook also has a lot of carrots. It’s easy to make, healthy and very delicious. So let’s start!

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 big yellow onion
• 3-4 medium (preferably thin) carrots
• 1 medium eggplant (about 1lb)
• 2-3 zucchinis
• 1 red bell pepper
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 can (16oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Directions:

1. Peel an onion, cut it lengthwise in a half and then slice lengthwise.
2. Preheat the cooking pan on the medium-high heat and add the onion, saute it for few minutes.
3. Peel and dice carrots into 1-inch pieces and add to the pan. Sprinkle with some salt and saute for several minutes.
4. Dice an eggplant into 1-2 inch pieces, add to the pan, sprinkle with some salt and saute for several minutes.
5. Cut zucchinis into quarters lengthwise, then into 1-inch pieces. Add to the pan, sprinkle with some salt and saute for several minutes.
6. Remove seeds from a red bell pepper, dice large and add to the pan.
7. Peel and slice garlic. Add to the pan.
8. Cover the pan with a lid, lower the heat to the medium-low and cook the vegetables for about 15 minutes.
9. Add tomatoes to the pan, bring it to a boil, add a pinch of hot red pepper, cover and cook the medium-low heat for another 10-15 minutes. Taste it and add more salt if needed.

The ratatouille can be served as a main dish for lunch or dinner, as a side dish with any meat or as a pasta sauce.