My Ratatouille Byaldi recipe is a mix of the classic vegetables which are roasted rather than stewed. Roasting caramelizes each vegetable bringing out the unique flavors of each of the components before combining them with the sauce. The Classic Ratatouille takes advantage of the late summer harvest vegetables, the last celebration before the winter kicks in.
Ratatouille Byaldi is a variation of the classic ratatouille recipe. The base of the casserole is my Ratatouille with a layer of Confit Byaldi and a spicy Basque Piperade sauce on top. The flavors and ingredients are all the same, but fanning and layering the casserole elevates the ordinary vegetable stew with a more elegant presentation.
The Confit Byaldi, a layer of fanned, thinly sliced vegetables is not necessary, you can stop with the Classic Ratatouille recipe and it’s great. The layers of the Confit Byaldi are basically just there to show off a little, haha. But let’s face it, Ratatouille, although delicious and healthy, isn’t very pretty, shallow I know, but the layer of Confit Byaldi on top is not difficult and is definitely worth the effort. The hardest part was locating eggplants, zucchini, and yellow squash that were all the same diameter as a Roma tomato.
My Ratatouille recipe continues to develop flavor in the refrigerator, you may actually like it more after 2-3 days! Now that’s my kind of leftovers…
I love to present my Ratatouille recipe this way
Ratatouille Ingredients
- Zucchini: Also known as marrow. This squash can reach a length of 1-meter, it is usually harvested when it is immature. You want to get all of the ingredients for the topping around the same diameter. The diameter of the Roma Tomato is perfect.
- Yellow Squash: Besides the color and a slight difference in shape, it is very similar to zucchini.
- Roma Tomatoes: This is the ideal tomato for the fanned topping. It is approximately the same diameter as both of the squash.
- Eggplant: Or aubergine. You will need long thin eggplants for the fanned topping. This spongy vegetable is very absorbent and takes on the flavors of all of the other Ratatouille ingredients.
- Herbs de Provence: A distinctive mixture of dried herbs essential in French cuisine and in this Ratatouille recipe. This herb mixture is available in stores ready-made. My mixture has basil, fennel seeds, lavender buds, chervil, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, crushed bay leaves, tarragon, thyme, savory, sage, oregano, and mint.
- Basque Piperade: My Basque Piperade recipe is a delicious, mildly spiced vegetable stew, used as a side dish with meats, eggs, or as a component in my Ratatouille recipe. It is made with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and garlic.
Here is my Ratatouille Byaldi recipe:
Ratatouille Byaldi
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Eggplant 1-inch dice
- 1 1/2 Cups Zucchini 1-inch dice
- 1 1/2 Cups Yellow Squash 1-inch dice
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Herbs de Provence
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil Chiffonade
- 1 Recipe Basque Piperade https://www.sipsnibblesbites.com/basque-piperade/
Topping
- 2 Yellow Squash 1/8-inch slices
- 2 Zucchini 1/8-inch slices
- 5 Roma Tomatoes 1/8-inch slices
- 2 Eggplant 1/8-inch slices
- Liquid Basque Piperade https://www.sipsnibblesbites.com/basque-piperade/
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 °F
- Combine diced eggplant and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. After 30 minutes, lift the eggplant from the bowl and squeeze the bitter-tasting liquid out before roasting.
- Toss the diced eggplant with 2 teaspoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence, spread evenly on a parchment-lined sheet tray
- Toss the zucchini and yellow squash with 2 teaspoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence, spread evenly on a second parchment-lined sheet tray
- Roast the eggplant for 15-20 minutes until nicely browned and caramelized, remove and place in a large mixing bowl. Roast the zucchini and yellow squash for 20-25 minutes until nicely browned and caramelized, remove and add to the eggplant.
- Reduce oven temperature to 300°F
- Drain the Basque Piperade. Reserve the liquid for the topping, add the solid ingredients to the eggplant mixture, stir to combine
- Cut a piece of parchment to fit inside of the 9”x 13” casserole dish, set aside
- Place the roasted vegetable mixture in the bottom of an oiled 9”x 13” casserole dish
- Fan the slices of the topping so they lay flat on the surface of the Ratatouille. The best color combo will be yellow squash, zucchini, tomato then eggplant. Using a pastry brush, brush all of the liquid from the Basque Piperade on to the layered topping
- Place the parchment directly on top of the Ratatouille Byaldi and place in the 300°F oven for 1 hour 30 minutes
- Remove the parchment, and continue to bake for approximately 20-30 minutes until the top is nicely browned
- Remove from the oven, Ratatouille Byaldi can be served either hot or cold. Sprinkle with a chiffonade of fresh basil when serving
Nutrition
How to Layer the Confit Byaldi
