Oven-Roasted Ratatouille

This is a delicious medley of eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic roasted with fresh herbs and a small amount of olive oil.

The ingredients aren't unusual for this dish and roasting them is not so innovative, but what sets this recipe apart from others I’ve tried is the method. The vegetables are first baked covered, to allow them to release their liquid, then roasted further, uncovered. Though it takes a little longer, I found that the vegetables cooked/caramelized more evenly this way. Also, the recipe uses less oil than most I’ve seen.

Though it’s not a quick recipe to make as there is a little chopping involved and the baking time is over an hour, it’s a great make ahead dish that has a variety of end uses and actually tastes better over time. I used it as a pasta sauce for the entire family on the first day and as the topping for a vegetarian pizza on day 2.