Ratatouille, a traditional dish originating in France, is an enjoyable and easy meal to make. The dish typically includes tomatoes, onions, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, and a variety of herbs like basil and thyme. Disney Pixar’s movie, Ratatouille, is based around the France-originated dish. The movie is about a rat who dreams of becoming a chef who later indeed achieves this goal, making the stew, ratatouille. Because of the movie, many Disney fans who like to or want to recreate popular Disney movie foods would like to cook the stew to get a taste of France and get the chance to try the dish seen in a movie they adore. With that being said, let’s dive into how to make the famous ratatouille.
According to Erin from Olives for dinner, you should begin by prepping the stew, the vegetables should be sautéed separately before being combined. Then, the ingredients are mixed and cooked slowly, allowing all the flavors to simmer together, causing a pleasant taste. The meal can be served as either a side dish or a main course. The stew is also made with healthy ingredients and is a superb example of French cuisine!
According to Chef Jade from Cooking With Jade, the meal Ratatouille was created by poor French peasants as a way to use up summer vegetables in the city of Nice, France. Later, when Disney Pixar’s Ratatouille was released, it gave the recipe more popularity due to its international audience. Chef Jade claims it’s a “dish that has captured our hearts.”
The original recipe for Ratatouille is prepared as a stew, where vegetables are added together with spices and other ingredients. A chef named Chef Thomas Keller revamped the recipe and made it his own. When Keller developed this version, he renamed it Confit Byaldi. The remake of ” Confit Byaldi” involves thinly slicing the vegetables, arranging them in a pan, and baking them together. Both the versions are healthy and good to vegan. This dish is a simple and flavorful way to enjoy the vegetable dish.
Steps for Making Ratatouille:
Ingredients and Béchamel Sauce (According to Savita from Chef De Home):
- 1–2 cups of tomato sauce
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 3–4 sprigs of thyme
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- Half tsp of chili flakes
- 1 eggplant (thinly sliced)
- 1 yellow squash (thinly sliced)
- 1 zucchini (thinly sliced)
- 1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
- 2–3 potatoes (thin to medium slices)
- Salt and black pepper (to your liking)
- Oil spray
Béchamel Sauce:
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- One eighth tsp nutmeg
Directions (According to Savita from Chef De Home):
- Preheat your oven and begin preparing the ingredients for the Ratatouille. Begin by preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then start by bringing 2 cups of water to a boil. Use seasoning salt. You then slice red potatoes in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain the potatoes on a paper towel and set them on the side. While the potatoes are cooked and cooled, slice all the other vegetables.
- To make the sauce start by microwaving 1 cup of milk then set it aside. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a saucepan. Next, add 1 tbsp of flour and cook it until the flour goes away, it’ll usually take about 1-2 minutes. Keep in mind not to let your flour turn brown. You then add your warm milk, (one-fourth of a cup) and stir it well to avoid any lumps. Continue to add milk until the sauce thickens to your liking (to each their own). Finally, season the sauce with salt, nutmeg, and black pepper. Set the sauce aside after.
- Layer cooking spray on a baking pan then spread a layer of tomato sauce, minced garlic, thyme, red chili flakes, salt, and oil. Mix it well while still having a good sauce spread. Then drizzle Béchamel Sauce on the top making a swirl onto the tomato sauce.
- Now take your sliced vegetables and layer them on top. Stack the vegetable slices nicely so it looks pretty. Then drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle salt, Thyme, and black pepper on top.
- When baking the meal, cover it with parchment paper. Bake for 55-60 minutes or till the vegetables are tender. The tomato sauce will bubble on the sides. Now, make sure the stew cools down so you don’t burn yourself.
- Enjoy!
My personal take on this recipe is that I like it. It is easy to make, healthy, and a great option for vegans. The process of making the recipe is simple, with easy steps and minimal effort required. Preparing the vegetables is straightforward, with only a few slightly more challenging steps, and the cooking time is relatively quick. When choosing a recipe to make, you should opt for an easy, healthy meal like Ratatouille.
