Ratatouille a Classic Vegetable Stew

Beyond its history, there is endless debate on how to make a traditional Ratatouille, there are three common ways to prepare the tasty dish, all rendering delicious results.

Ratatouille is a classic Provencal French vegetable stew recipe. The word ratatouille is derived from the Occitan term “ratatolha” and the French words “rata” meaning chunky stew and “touiller” which means to toss food or stir up. Originating in the 18th Century in the region of Nice, it’s known as a peasant’s stew, created from the last of the summer vegetables.

Beyond its history, there is endless debate on how to make a traditional Ratatouille. There are three schools of thought on the subject. One, sauté all the vegetables together, two, layer then bake them like a casserole (Julia Child’s preference), and three, sauté each ingredient separately, then combine and simmer them together.  Whichever version you choose to make will surely be great.

The dish ultimately received immense recognition because Disney released its animated movie “Ratatouille” in 2007, about a little French rat with cooking aspirations, who impresses the tough food critic, by serving a layered ratatouille casserole.  The movie made the term ratatouille famous around the world, but especially in America.

Try your hand at the famous dish.