Ratatouille with polenta is a delicious way to use summer squash, eggplant, and peppers.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Ingredients
3 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta corn grits
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
2 zucchini, sliced into ¼” thick rounds
2 yellow squash, sliced into ¼” thick rounds
2 Chinese eggplant, sliced into ¼” thick rounds
8 oz. canned tomato sauce
2 sprigs fresh thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
2 oz. crumbled goat cheese or kite hill vegan ricotta (optional)
3 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a cast iron skillet, bring water to a simmer. Slowly stir in salt and polenta. Reduce heat to low and continue to stir until polenta has thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
In another skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Season zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant with a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté until just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Pour tomato sauce over the polenta in the skillet and smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle with the leaves from the thyme, oregano, and pepper flakes. Top with crumbled cheese. Arrange the vegetables in a layered, overlapping fashion. Start at the outer edge of the skillet and work your way in to the middle.
Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle parsley over the top and serve warm.