feeds 2
Ingredients:
1 large patty pan squash
1 medium eggplant (or two skinny ones) cubed
1 large zucchini, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper (or two long sweet peppers), chopped
1 pound of small tomatoes, such as cherry or pear, halved
Tomato paste (optional)
3-4 tablespoons of diced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme and parsley
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped in ribbons
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
Mozzarella and/or crumbled feta
Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Chop the eggplant and zucchini into cubes and place in a colander, then sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Let this sit for about half an hour. This allows them to sweat their bitterness out, and makes them much easier to work with.
Chop the top of the patty pan squash (the stem) off. Cut a hole out of the bottom (the flat part) and carve out the insides. Discard the seeds, but save the rest of the meat for later. Brush with a little oil and place on a baking pan in the oven until it softens, about 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Saute the onions, bell pepper and garlic with a pinch of salt until they begin to brown, about 8 – 10 minutes. Set aside in a large bowl. Repeat this step with the zucchini and chopped insides of the patty pan, and then with the eggplant, each time setting it aside in the same large bowl. Take the last tablespoon of oil and saute the tomatoes. You may want to add a little tomato paste at this point, if you prefer a saucier consistency. Add the herbs and spices (save a little shredded basil), then the bowl of sauteed veggies. Let this simmer on medium low heat for about 15 – 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
Stuff as much of the ratatouille in the patty pan squash as you can making a large dome on top, and save the rest for the side. Top the stuffed squash with cheese and place back in the oven for another 10 – 15 minutes, or until the cheese browns. Cut in half and serve with an extra scoop of ratatouille, topped with a sprinkle of parmesan and the rest of the basil ribbons. Bon appetit!
