Ratatouille is a classic French vegetable dish that is full of flavour. In this version, we add a little extra depth and richness to the sauce with miso, giving the dish an even more rounded flavour. This dish is particularly well suited to a cast iron casserole dish, as it can be cooked and served directly from the pot.
Ingredients
MISO TOMATO SAUCE
• 1 small onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1.5 tsp dried thyme
• A handful of basil leaves
• 1 tbsp light miso
• 0.5 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
• 1 tin passata (400 g)
• 0.5 tsp flaked salt and a little freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil for frying
VEGETABLES
• 1 aubergine (preferably as long as possible)
• 3 large tomatoes
• 1.5-2 courgettes
• Flaked salt
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees hot air.
- Cut the aubergine into thin slices, place them on a baking tray so that they do not overlap, sprinkle with salt and leave to stand for 25 minutes.
- Finely chop the onion and garlic and fry in olive oil for a few minutes until transparent.
- Add the thyme and finely chopped basil and fry for another minute.
- Add a little extra olive oil to the pan and add the tomato purée and miso. Let it burn a little, stir it around and fry for another minute.
- Then add the passata, balsamic vinegar, honey and a little salt and pepper. Stir, cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes and courgettes very thinly with a knife or mandoline and drain the liquid from the aubergine slices.
- When the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and arrange the vegetables in a pattern of alternating aubergine, courgette and tomato on top of the sauce, drizzle with olive oil and put the lid on.
- Bake the ratatouille with the lid on for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 30 minutes without the lid + possibly 5 minutes under the grill if the vegetables need to be browned a little. This varies from oven to oven.
- Serve alongside a pasta dish, a tart or with a hearty salad.
