This Provençal dish appeared in the 19th century, but the "ratatolha" (a word of Occitan origin) did not really conquer the gourmands until a century later, to the point of being, today and thanks to a famous cartoon, an emblem of French cuisine in the world.
Initially based on beans, potatoes, bread and fatty meat, this dish was mainly used as food for soldiers and prisoners and was, at best, qualified as "bad stew" or at worst as "soup for rats". Easy and quick to cook, over time the recipe refocused on sunny vegetables (zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants) and developed more specifically in cities located around the Mediterranean.
Inspired by the Basque piperade and the Bohemian, two dishes traditionally eaten by families in Provence richly endowed with summer vegetables, ratatouille gradually conquered the whole of France, even if, even today, the recipe from Nice remains a reference with its onions, herbs of Provence and olives to complement the vegetables that grow more easily in the South.
The popularity of ratatouille is now such that the greatest chefs have fun adapting it by varying its ingredients but always respecting its specificity: the simmering of vegetables in olive oil over low heat for several hours. This cooking method reveals all the flavors of this dish, which can be eaten hot or cold and which, like the famous gastronomic guide in the cartoon Ratatouille, delights French gourmets. There is no doubt that since its release in 2007, the Pixar film has helped many parents to make this dish popular with children who are generally reluctant to eat several vegetables at the same time.
Pretend you're Auguste Gousteau by preparing your own ratatouille from this recipe.
Valerie from Comme des Français
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To accompany your meal
