Ratatouille and Bocconcini Pie
This is my take on ratatouille, the classic French Provençal vegetable dish originally from Nice. It features a wonderful variety of vegetables, plus I’ve added bocconcini to marry it all together and bring out the best of summer.
The pies pictured were made using savoury shortcrust pastry for the base and plain puff pastry for the tops.
Ingredients 17
500 g eggplant (aubergine)
400 g zucchini (courgettes)
800 g capsicums (bell peppers)
2 onions, large
6 garlic cloves
100 ‒ 150 g olive oil
20 g unsalted butter
1 × 400g tin tinned whole tomatoes, roughly chopped
20 g balsamic vinegar
1 1⁄2 tsp fine salt
1⁄2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 lemon, zested
40 g basil, about 1 small bunch, leaves picked and torn
1 tbsp thyme, chopped
pastry, of choice
8 bocconcini, cut in half
pepitas (pumpkin seeds), for sprinkling
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Method 8
Start by prepping all your vegetables so that the cooking process flows nicely. Trim and chop the , and into 2–3 cm (¾–1 1/4 in) pieces, discarding the membranes and seeds from the capsicums. Peel and slice the . Peel and thinly slice the .
Heat 20 g (¾ oz/1 tablespoon) of the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Working in batches, cook the , and for 4–5 minutes, adding more as required. Stop cooking before the vegetables get soft; you just want a bit of colour at this stage. Transfer each batch of vegetables into a large bowl.
Meanwhile, melt the with 20 g (¾ oz/1 tablespoon) in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the and , stirring, for 10–12 minutes until starting to soften and caramelise.
Add the and bring to a simmer, then stir in the , and . Add all the fried vegetables, then reduce the heat to low and cook just under a simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and everything comes together.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the , and . Once it’s cooled a little, check the seasoning, adding more and , to taste. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). For small pies, use two for each pie. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C (360°F). Bake for a further 25–30 minutes, turning halfway through for an even bake.
For large pies, scatter the over the ratatouille filling before adding the pastry lid. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C (360°F). Bake for a further 35–40 minutes, turning halfway through for an even bake.
If baking from frozen, add 10 minutes to these times. The pies are ready when the pastry is flaky and golden. Always rest your pies for 10 minutes before eating. Serve with a leafy salad.
Urbanstead's tips
The great thing about this pie is its versatility: use mozzarella instead of bocconcini, take out or add any vegetable you prefer, stick with just one colour of capsicum or mix up the colours and eat the rainbow! You just need to ensure that your total vegetable weight is similar to the recipe.
