A vegan version of the iconic Ratatouille dish featured in the movie, based on the recipe by Thomas Kelly. It consists of thinly sliced vegetables arranged in a spiral over a rich Piperade sauce, slowly baked to bring out the flavors.
Ingredients
Piperade Sauce
Ingredient
Quantity
Notes
Bell Peppers
2 units
Red, yellow, or orange (avoid green)
Tomatoes
3 units (~340g)
Finely chopped after peeling
Yellow Onion
1/2 cup (~60g)
Finely chopped
Garlic
1 tsp (~5g)
Minced
Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 tsp (~15ml)
Extra virgin
Thyme
1 sprig
Fresh
Parsley
1 sprig
Fresh
Bay Leaf
1 leaf
Fresh
Salt
to taste
Vegetable Slices
Ingredient
Quantity
Notes
Zucchini
3 units
Green or yellow, similar diameter
Eggplant
1 unit
Japanese or slim, similar diameter
Tomatoes
3 units
Similar diameter
Garlic-Herb Oil
Ingredient
Quantity
Notes
Garlic
1.5 tsp (~5g)
Minced
Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 tbsp (~15ml)
Extra virgin
Fresh Thyme
2 sprigs
Leaves only
Salt & Pepper
to taste
Vinaigrette
Ingredient
Quantity
Notes
Piperade Sauce
1 tbsp
Reserved from the sauce batch
Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 tbsp (~15ml)
Extra virgin
Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp (~5ml)
Fresh Thyme
1-1.5 tsp (~1g)
Leaves only
Salt & Pepper
to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare the Piperade Sauce
Roast Peppers: Char the skin of the bell peppers over a stove flame. Place them in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 10 minutes to steam. Peel them and remove stems and seeds.
Blanch Tomatoes: Score a cross on the bottom of the tomatoes. Boil for 20-30 seconds, then move to an ice bath. Peel, remove seeds, and finely chop.
Sauté: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-low. Sauté onion for 6 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for another 1-1.5 minutes.
Simmer: Add chopped tomatoes, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Cook on low heat (uncovered) for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has reduced.
Finish Sauce: Stir in the roasted peppers and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and remove the herb stems.
Blend: Blend the mixture until smooth. If too liquid, reduce further in the pan for 1-2 minutes. Reserve one tablespoon for the vinaigrette.
2. Prepare and Assemble the Vegetables
Slice: Use a mandoline or sharp knife to slice zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes into rounds of 2-3mm thickness. Ensure all vegetables have a similar diameter.
Base: Spread the Piperade sauce evenly at the bottom of an oven-safe dish (approx. 30x20cm).
Arrange: Place the vegetable slices in a repeating pattern (e.g., zucchini $\rightarrow$ eggplant $\rightarrow$ tomato) in concentric circles until the dish is filled.
3. Bake
Season: Mix the Garlic-Herb Oil ingredients and pour the mixture evenly over the arranged vegetables.
Cover: Seal the dish tightly with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Roast: Bake at 135°C.
Option A (Visual focus): Bake covered for 30 minutes.
Option B (Flavor focus): Bake covered for 2 hours, then uncovered for 30 minutes.
4. Final Touch
Make Vinaigrette: Mix the reserved Piperade sauce, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper.
Serve: Plate the vegetables in a tower or donut shape and drizzle the vinaigrette around the dish.
