Ratatouille on Grilled Bread

vegetables and spices in a pan
Prep Time: 
60 minutes, plus 30 minutes sit time for eggplant
Number of Servings: 
Serves 8
Recipe Source: 
Make This Tonight by Tastemade ($27, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2022)

Ingredients

  • 8 oz eggplant, cut into 12-inch pieces
  • 1 12 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 4 12 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced, divided
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 oz fresh basil sprigs, tied with kitchen string, plus leaves for serving
  • 8 oz bell pepper, cut into 12-inch pieces
  • 8 oz summer squash, cut into 12-inch pieces
  • 10 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 loaf crusty bread, sliced

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, toss eggplant with the 1 12 teaspoons of salt. Let sit for about 30 minutes, and then use a paper towel to wipe off salt and pat dry.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat 1 12 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer eggplant to a plate.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in the same pan. Add leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add half of the garlic, the pepper flakes, and bundle of basil. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
  4. Add squash and tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and bell pepper and squash are soft (but not falling apart), about 10 minutes more.
  5. Return eggplant to pot and cook for another minute to warm through. Carefully remove bundle of basil, squeeze out any liquid back into ratatouille, and discard basil bundle. Stir in remaining garlic. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
  6. Meanwhile, in a grill pan or a large skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Working in batches, add bread slices in a single layer and cook until golden and crisp, about 30 seconds per side. Repeat with remaining bread slices, adding more oil to skillet as needed.
  7. To serve, spoon ratatouille over toasts. Drizzle with some oil and sprinkle on basil leaves.

Notes

You don’t need an outdoor grill to make this recipe. A grill pan set over the stove helps create a tasty grilled bread for this dish.

Nutrition Info: 
209 Calories, 6 g Protein, 28 g Carbohydrates, 6 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 3 g Fiber, 9 g Total fat (1 g sat), 288 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Vitamin C, ★★★ Vitamin K, ★★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6, Folate, Vitamin A, B3 (niacin), E, Iron, Phosphorus