Ratatouille

As a kid I never much liked ratatouille, for two reasons. First, it tended to be mushy, and second, because I viewed it as a rush to use the last of the garden and farm-stand mainstays, and therefore as a sure sign that summer was over. As an adult doing the cooking, I know how to control the texture of the vegetables (and I’m not so keen on heat and humidity), so I welcome the quintessential end-of-summer dish. In a good ratatouille, the vegetables should retain a bit of texture – especially the eggplant and zucchini.

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan 1 pound frozen puff pastry 2 medium eggplant 2 large onions 2 medium zucchini 3 red and yellow peppers 3 large tomatoes 3 cloves garlic Handful fresh basil Salt and pepper ½ cup olive oil ½ cup pitted black olives 1 ½ cups couscous ¼ cup flour

Serves 4 1 pound store-bought puff pastry, defrosted according to package directions Flour (for sprinkling) 3 cups ratatouille ½ cup pitted black olives 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan 1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. 2. Unfold the pastry sheet; it should be cold but pliable. If it cracks, let it defrost on the counter for 5 minutes and test it again. If it cracks along the fold, simply push the edges together and smooth them out with your fingers.

Ratatouille, once hard to pronounce until a certain adorable animated rat brought it fame, is a celebrated harvest stew with origins in the south of France. In some versions the vegetables are simmered together in a pot on top of the stove. In others, the vegetables are cooked separately to allow each one to maintain some integrity instead of melding into an indistinguishable chorus. Both methods seem to let the vegetables soak up oil by the cupful. In this version, you roast the vegetables, which intensifies individual flavors, then they're simmered briefly with the tomatoes.

Serves 4 Olive oil (for the pan) 6 eggs 1 cup flour or 2/3 cup cornstarch 2/3 cup creme fraiche 1/2 cup whole milk 2/3 cup grated Comte or Gruyere cheese Salt and pepper 4 cups cooked ratatouille ...

Serves 4 Make your own pastry and line it into a 9-inch tart pan with remov able base, or begin with commercial dough lined into a pie pan. 1 prepared pastry dough, lined into a 9-inch tart or pie pan 4 eggs Salt and pepper, to taste 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 recipe ratatouille (see...

Serves 4 with leftovers RATATOUILLE Olive oil (for sprinkling) 2 medium eggplant, cut in ¾-inch cubes 2 large onions, halved lengthwise and thickly sliced 2 medium zucchini, cut in ¾-inch cubes 3 red and yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut in ¾-inch dice 7 tablespoons olive oil Salt and black pepper 3 ...

Today is Bastille Day, the French national holiday, and since it’s a summer day off in France, people celebrate with a picnic or outdoor party before watching fireworks. Make ratatouille, the popular slow-simmered vegetable stew originally from the south of France. The dish glorifies summer produce and is easy to prepare for a crowd. Across France, most cooks have a recipe for ratatouille. I like to cook the main ingredients — eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers — separately, then add tomatoes and herbs before simmering to blend the flavors and let the cooking juices intensify.

LE PORGE, France - The stereotype for the countryside around Bordeaux as a stuffy spot with cufflinks and expensive wines goes down the drain in a whirl. Wiped out and wanting to set up camp in the light after a day of driving, I pull off the highway an hour west of the city and find a tiny campground on a canal running through the French farm country town of Lagruère. The restaurant that doubles as the campground office is empty, but the door is open. “Anybody home?

Serves 4 1 pound store-bought puff pastry, defrosted according to package directions Flour (for sprinkling) 3 cups ratatouille ½ cup pitted black olives 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan 1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. 2. Unfold the pastry sheet; it should be cold but pliable. If it cracks, let it defrost on the counter for 5 minutes and test it again. If it cracks along the fold, simply push the edges together and smooth them out with your fingers.

As a kid I never much liked ratatouille, for two reasons. First, it tended to be mushy, and second, because I viewed it as a rush to use the last of the garden and farm-stand mainstays, and therefore as a sure sign that summer was over. As an adult doing the cooking, I know how to control the texture of the vegetables (and I’m not so keen on heat and humidity), so I welcome the quintessential end-of-summer dish. In a good ratatouille, the vegetables should retain a bit of texture – especially the eggplant and zucchini.

Today is Bastille Day, the French national holiday, and since it’s a summer day off in France, people celebrate with a picnic or outdoor party before watching fireworks. Make ratatouille, the popular slow-simmered vegetable stew originally from the south of France. The dish glorifies summer produce and is easy to prepare for a crowd. Across France, most cooks have a recipe for ratatouille. I like to cook the main ingredients — eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers — separately, then add tomatoes and herbs before simmering to blend the flavors and let the cooking juices...

Serves 4 Olive oil (for the pan) 6 eggs 1 cup flour or 2/3 cup cornstarch 2/3 cup creme fraiche 1/2 cup whole milk 2/3 cup grated Comte or Gruyere cheese Salt and pepper 4 cups cooked ratatouille ...

LE PORGE, France - The stereotype for the countryside around Bordeaux as a stuffy spot with cufflinks and expensive wines goes down the drain in a whirl. Wiped out and wanting to set up camp in the light after a day of driving, I pull off the highway an hour west of the city and find a tiny campground on a canal running through the French farm country town of Lagruère. The restaurant that doubles as the campground office is empty, but the door is open. “Anybody home?