Simple Summer Ratatouille with Chickpeas

Ratatouille will always remind me of being a kid in the summer. I’d go to the farmers market with my mom and loved helping her pick out the most beautiful tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and squash – though truthfully I think I liked this shopping trip mostly because she would always buy me a pastry from one of the other stalls. I remember enjoying my mom’s simple yet incredibly satisfying preparation of fresh, ripe veg alongside fresh salads on long, warm summer evenings. Cooking and eating ratatouille now takes me right back to those nights as a kid.

I’ve kept the simple preparation, adding chickpeas to make this more of a main course with enough calories and protein. We love serving this with fresh sourdough bread and even some pickled veg or sauerkraut for a bit of acid and crunch.

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5 lb (about 1 large) eggplant, large dice
• 1.5 lb (about 1 large or 2-3 small) zucchini or summer squash, large dice
• 1 lb (about 3 medium) tomatoes, large dice
• 1 large green pepper, large dice
• 3 cups cooked chickpeas
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh basil, for serving

Directions

1. In a large heavy pot, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat and once hot, saute the diced onion until it is lightly translucent but not quite beginning to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf and let cook for another minute.
2. Add the eggplant and squash and stir, cooking for another 4-5 minutes until the eggplant is starting to brown.
3. Add the tomatoes, pepper, and chickpeas and stir. Add a few generous grinds of black pepper and salt (start with 1 tsp).
4. Once at a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and partially cover. Cook for another 20-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer it cooks the more stew-like it will become, while the veggies will still have a bit of crunch at the shorter cook time.
5. Taste and season with more salt and pepper. Add a drizzle of olive oil and some thinly sliced basil on top, and serve alongside fresh sourdough bread.

Nutrition Facts