Ratatouille niçoise — Nice, France
Nice, France
0
This version belongs to the family Ratatouille.
Ratatouille is first of all an Occitan word for a stew of not much at all; it was in Nice that it took the form we know it by, to the point that the town gave it its adjective. The Niçois rule, the one local cooks defend, is to cook each vegetable separately in olive oil — aubergines, courgettes, peppers, onions — and only bring them together at the end with the tomatoes, garlic and basil, so each keeps its own texture and flavour.
It is eaten hot, warm or cold, on its own, with an egg, or as a side dish. It's better the next day.
Preparation
- 01
Cut all the vegetables into 2 cm dice. Peel and deseed the tomatoes.
- 02
Fry the aubergines separately in the oil, then the courgettes, then the peppers, until golden. Set each vegetable aside.
- 03
Soften the onions, add the tomatoes, garlic and thyme, and cook for 15 minutes into a compote.
- 04
Combine all the vegetables in the tomato compote, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 20 minutes covered. Add the shredded basil off the heat.
Where this version sits
A single, final coordinate: Nice, France. Another version of the same dish, elsewhere, gets its own point.
Photo: Marcus Guimarães — CC BY 2.0
