Elegant Summer Ratatouille
Tomatoes and courgettes are finally coming into season on the farm, and this dish is one of our favourite ways to celebrate them. It’s simple, colourful, and all about letting great summer veg shine. Thin slices of aubergine, courgette, and tomato are layered over a silky roasted pepper sauce and baked until tender and golden! Proof that less really can be more!
Takes 1 hour
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the smooth tomato & pepper base
- 30 ml olive oil 2 tbsp, plus extra for drizzling
- 300 g onions 2 medium, diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jar roasted red peppers drained and roughly chopped (200–250g drained weight)
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 15 ml maple syrup 1 tbsp
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the vegetable layer & garnish
- 2 aubergines approx. 500g total
- 2 courgettes approx. 400g total
- 2 large vine tomatoes approx. 300g
- 20 g fresh basil
Instructions
Cook the aromatics
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.
- Heat a large ovenproof pan or shallow casserole dish over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the diced onions and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Make the sauce
- Add the roasted peppers, chopped tomatoes, maple syrup, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes.
- Using a hand blender, blend the sauce directly in the pan until smooth and velvety. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Slice the vegetables
- Slice the aubergines, courgettes, and tomatoes into thin rounds, roughly ½–1cm thick. Try to keep the slices as even as possible so they cook uniformly.
Arrange the vegetables
- Arrange the sliced vegetables upright in concentric circles over the sauce, alternating aubergine, courgette, and tomato as you go. Pack them fairly tightly together so they hold their shape while baking.
Bake
- Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with a little extra salt and pepper.
- Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for a further 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and lightly golden around the edges.
Finish and serve
- Scatter over the fresh basil just before serving. The heat from the vegetables will gently release the basil’s aroma and bring the whole dish to life.
- Serve warm with crusty bread, grains, or a simple leafy salad.