Deconstructed Ratatouille
with Balsamic Tomatoes, Feta and Garlicky Ciabatta
The definition of deconstructed is ‘to reduce something to its constituent parts’. We’re not sure we agree completely with this - we wouldn’t say there is any reduction going on here. This dish is such a showstopper, that we wanted to let everything from the ratatouille and feta to the garlicky ciabatta, absolutely shine!
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
Ingredients
1
Red Onion
1
Yellow Pepper
1
Aubergine
(May contain Celery)
1
Plum Tomatoes
1.5
Dried Italian Herbs
1
Courgette
(May contain Celery)
½
Basil
1
Balsamic Vinegar
(Contains Sulphites)
1
Ciabatta
(Contains Cereals containing gluten May contain Cereals containing gluten)
1
Feta Cheese
(Contains Milk)
1
Garlic Clove
Nutritional information
Utensils
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Cut the red onion in half through the root, peel and chop each half into four pieces. Separate the onion layers. Remove the core from the yellow pepper and cut into slices 1cm wide. Cut the top off the aubergine, cut it lengthways into slices about 1cm wide, then cut the slices in half.
Put your onion, pepper and half the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray with a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Sprinkle over the Italian herbs, a glug of olive oil and pop on the top shelf of your oven to cook for 20 mins. Meanwhile, cut the top and bottom off the courgette, then cut in half lengthways. Cut each half lengthways again into four strips. Chop the strips into batons about the length of your little finger.
Slice the remaining tomatoes in half through the equator. Roughly chop half the basil. Put your tomatoes in a bowl with the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt and black pepper and mix together. Leave to the side. Cut the ciabatta in half through the middle and keep to the side.
Put a frying pan on medium-high heat with a glug of oil and cook your aubergine slices (they need to be in a single layer, so do this in two batches and add more oil when cooking the second batch if you need to). Sprinkle over a pinch of salt, and a good grind of black pepper and fry for 3-4 mins on each side until charred and soft. Once cooked, remove your aubergine to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
There shouldn’t be any oil left in the pan but if there is just wipe it out with some kitchen paper. Put the pan back on medium heat and season your courgette with a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Cook in one layer without any oil (do this in two batches as well if you need to!). Dry-fry on one side for 3-4 mins until slightly charred, then turn the courgette over and cook on the other side for another 3-4 mins. Remove from the pan.
Once your onion, pepper and tomatoes are cooked, take them out of your oven. Crumble over the feta and add in your chopped basil. Stir everything together and cover with foil to keep warm. Turn your grill to high and place your ciabatta halves underneath. Grill them for 2-3 mins on each side until nicely toasted, then remove. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut sides on each ciabatta half.
Put one ciabatta half on each plate, layer on your aubergine slices then pile your veggie-feta mixture on top followed by your courgette. Finish with your balsamic tomatoes and any leftover juices. Tear over your remaining basil and enjoy!
