Ratatouille: the Mediterranean on your plate

The term ratatouille comes from the French touiller and the from Occitan ratatolha, which mean stir, recalling the process of stirring the vegetables in the pan during cooking.

Vegetables are the undisputed stars of this simple dish that can surprise even the most severe critic, evoking memories of genuine flavors and ancient traditions.

Ratatouille is in fact an ancient recipe handed down from generations of peasant families, who made the dish with the ingredients of their harvest: zucchini, eggplant, peppers, onions, tomatoes and everything that nature was able to offer.

Although endless reinterpretations have sprung up, some very specific preparation steps and basic rules must be followed in order to talk about ratatouille.

Ingredients. The dish involves, as mentioned above, the use of vegetables cut into slices or diced, seasoned with olive oil and flavored with garlic.

Preparation. How do you cook the vegetables, all together or separately? According to the traditional recipe, it is advisable to cook each vegetable separately, a technique that ensures that each individual ingredient releases its own characteristics, which will then come together in a combination of harmonious and intense flavors and fragrances.

Even before you taste it, ratatouille must be able to seduce you with a triumph of colors: a balanced mix of different vegetables allows you to create a colorful dish that immediately makes you want to eat it.

As in the traditional recipe, in our Vegetable Ratatouille zucchini, peppers, eggplant and onions are equally present. After a light frying, the vegetables, cut into cubes, are added gradually to respect the different cooking times. Only later we can add a sweet and full-bodied tomato pulp, which blends the ingredients into an inebriating and surprising harmony. 

As if it had just been prepared, thanks to the preservation in glass, each vegetable remains crunchy and compact, maintaining all its sensory qualities, thanks also to a careful selection: our recipe is prepared only with vegetables of excellent quality and at the right point of ripeness.

Already ready to eat, without adding other condiments or water, just open the jar and pour the contents into a pot, or directly into the dish, serving it cold.

Recipes with our Ratatouille? Why not. Also used as an ingredient in tasty recipes, ratatouille is always a treat for the senses. A very simple recipe such as scrambled eggs with Ratatouille becomes immediately special; soft dumplings stuffed with a spoonful of our Ratatouille can be transformed into a superb dish... but there are many other ideas!

Savory pie with Ratatouille

Ratatouille is also an excellent filling for the preparation of savory pies: it goes perfectly with puff pastry, creating a delicious dish with Mediterranean flavors, perfect for a tasty and wholesome appetizer or aperitif.

Our advice is to bake the puff pastry for 30 minutes separately and then stuff it with ratatouille, so as not to lose the moisture content of our dish. Only then should the quiche be baked for another 10 minutes before serving.

Rice Arancini with Ratatouille and Anchovy Fillets

Looking for a tasty idea for an aperitif? Stuff the rice arancini with Ratatouille and Anchovy Fillets instead of the classic filling.

Rice Arancini with Ratatouille and Anchovy Fillets, in fact, are an excellent idea for a finger food full of flavor. The combination with Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil will prove to be particularly appropriate, because it is able to enhance the characteristics of both ingredients, for a truly explosive result.

Our advice is to bake them in the oven and eat them warm to appreciate the harmony of flavors even more.

Although made with simple ingredients, the ratatouille recipe requires many steps and special attention when cooking the various ingredients. This is why making it at home takes a lot of time. If you love its unmistakable taste but you don’t have enough the time to cook, you can opt for our Ratatouille, a ready-made dish in a jar that cannot be missed in the pantry of the most curious palates. You can find it on our website.