Ratatouille Provençale

🥘 Ingredients

• olive oil ¼ cup
• eggplant 1 medium
• zucchini 1 lb
• olive oil 2 Tbsp
• sliced onions 1 ½ cups
• red bell peppers 2 large
• garlic 3 cloves
• salt
• pepper
• diced tomatoes 1 14-oz can
• fresh thyme 3 sprigs
• dried thyme (alternative) ½ tsp
• bay leaf 1
• chopped basil ¼ cup
• pitted black olives (optional)

1. 1

   Served on a platter that shows off its contrasting colors, this dish look like a colorful Cubist style life.
2. 2

   Heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat 1/4 cup olive oil .
3. 3

   Add and cook, stirring, until golden and just tender, 10 to 12 minutes eggplant , peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks and zucchini , cut into 1-inch chunks.
4. 4

   Remove the vegetables to a plate and reduce the heat to medium-high. Add and cook, stirring, until the onions are slightly softened 2 Tbsp olive oil and sliced onions .
5. 5

   Add and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender but now browned, 8 to 12 minutes red bell peppers , cut into 1-inch squares and garlic , finely chopped.
6. 6

   Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. 7

   Add diced tomatoes , drained, fresh thyme or dried thyme (alternative) and 1 bay leaf .
8. 8

   Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes . Add the eggplant and zucchini and cook until everything is tender, about 20 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in chopped basil and pitted black olives (optional) , chopped.