Confit Byaldi (aka Ratatouille’s Ratatouille)

Every time I make traditional ratatouille I am severely disappointed.  I don’t think it is the recipe creator’s fault.  I just expect ratatouille not to be so liquidy and soggy, but to really be a spiral of vegetables like the dish served in the Disney movie.  You know- the one with the Chef Rat!  It turns out that French chef Thomas Keller actually worked as a food consultant for the Disney picture and created this recipe specifically for the movie.

This dish is a beautiful way to use up summer produce.  It comes together quickly and makes you feel like you not only ate your vegetables, but you enjoyed doing so!  Serve it over any grain- rice, quinoa, couscous, alongside bread or just as it is.

Note: You can really use any similar sized squash and eggplant combinations.  The recipe also calls for a small eggplant which is sometimes difficult to find at the supermarket.  If one of your vegetables is too large, just cut it in half or quarters.

Want to make this on a weeknight (ie much faster)?  Substitute the roasted peppers and tomatoes int he sauce for 1 cup of canned tomato puree.

Confit Byaldi
Adapted from the Splendid Table

2 red bell peppers
2 large Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 cup water or vegetable stock
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary
few sprigs fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 small eggplant
1 longish red bell pepper (or alternatively 2 roma tomatoes, peeled)
salt and pepper

Turn a stovetop has burner to high and place the bell peppers on the grate over the flame. (Alternatively, place the peppers on a rimmed baking sheet and broil on high heat.) Blacken the pepper on all sides. Remove the peppers and wrap in aluminum foil to steam for 5 minutes. Peel the peppers, discard the stems and seeds.

Place the peppers in a high-powered blender or food processor with the tomatoes, stock or water, 1 Tbsp of the rosemary, the thyme, garlic, onion, 1 Tbsp of the oil and a pinch of salt. Blend until completely smooth.

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Using a mandoline, or a very sharp knife, cut the vegetables into 1/8 inch thick rounds. Add a thin layer of the roasted pepper mixture to a shallow casserole and spread it across the bottom evenly. Starting with a slice of zucchini, followed by a slice of yellow squash, a slice of eggplant, and a slice of pepper, begin layering the sliced vegetables around the outer edge of the casserole like shingles, leaving about 1/4 inch overlap between the slices. Once the outer rim is complete, create another layer inside that one and continue until the casserole is filled with vegetables. Chop the remaining rosemary and sprinkle on top. Drizzle with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cut a piece of parchment paper the size of the casserole and place it on top of the vegetables.

Bake for approximately 1 hour, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp. They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that the sauce is bubbling up around them.