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Ratatouille with Garden Vegetables and/or Sausage

The perfect casserole for your garden vegetable abundance. Add the sausage or serve with the vegetables alone. Can be made ahead for a large crowd.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Ratatouille, sausage, vegetables
Servings 12
Author Bon-Appetit November 1977

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggplant, peeled and cut into strips
  • 8 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch strips
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 5 large sliced onion
  • 6 minced garlic cloves
  • 2 cups mushrooms, sliced, ( in place of sausage)
  • 6 green peppers, seeded and sliced
  • 8 peeled tomatoes, cut into strips
  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 teaspoons thyme
  • 2 teaspoons basil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 dozen sweet or mild Italian sausages (meat version)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Place eggplant and zucchini on individual sheet pans and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  3. Roast in the oven until soft around 20 minutes. Check eggplant half-way through the baking time and turn if needed. Place aside to cool.
  4. In a large skillet saute onion, garlic and mushrooms (for vegetarian version) with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  5. Add green peppers, and continue cooking and add more oil if needed.

  6. In the meantime, saute sausages (meat version) in a new skillet until browned. Or saute mushrooms in the first pan after vegetable mixture has been cooked.

  7. Cut sausages in 1/2 inch round slices and place back in pan to further brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove and cool.

  8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  9. Layer sauteed vegetables, tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper in a large casserole dish or two small ovenproof dishes. Stir gently to mix.

  10. Sprinkle with olive oil and bake covered for 35 minutes for meat version, or continue baking for 10 more minutes for the vegetarian version.
  11. After vegetables have baked add sausage, pushing down to distribute evenly.

  12. Return to oven and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

  13. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Flavor improves by making the casserole 24 hours ahead and refrigerating. Bring to room temperature before reheating.