Ratatouille calls for a fairly specific list of vegetables: eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and usually onions. These are cooked slowly, together, with a lot of olive oil and some garlic. The dish is finished with fresh basil; how could it be bad? Needless to say, ratatouille is best in midsummer, when the vegetables are at their peak. It can be served hot or at room temperature and is delicious both ways. It’s especially good with grilled sausage.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 servings

　　2 large eggplant, about 2 pounds total, peeled if the skin is very thick and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

　　2 medium zucchini, about 1 pound total, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

　　2 large onions, thinly sliced

　　2 tablespoons minced garlic

　　2 red or yellow bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced

　　4 ripe medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, cored, and thickly sliced

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves

　　

Step 1

Put the eggplant and zucchini in a colander and toss liberally with salt. Let stand for about an hour, if time allows, then rinse quickly and squeeze dry.

　　

Step 2

Put a wide flameproof casserole or deep skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about a minute; add the garlic, peppers, eggplant, and zucchini and cook, stirring to combine. Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers and cover. Cook, checking and stirring, for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

　　

Step 3

Add the tomatoes, stir, and re-cover. Cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the vegetables are very soft. Taste and adjust the seasoning, stir in the basil, and serve hot or at room temperature.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.