Vegetables are a staple in anyone’s diet, but they can get boring when eaten plain. Luckily, Mary’s “posh” roasted vegetables from BBC Food make them tasty and delicious. The recipe notes said: “A different take on a classic ratatouille with the vegetables arranged prettily in a dish. Serve in slices.”
The recipe is egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and vegetarian, perfect for summer gatherings and dinner parties. It can also be whipped up in under one hour with affordable ingredients.
Ingredients:
Two medium aubergines, cut into 1cm slices
Two red peppers, deseeded and cut into 1cm slices
500g courgettes, cut into 1cm slices
Six tablespoons of olive oil
Two red onions, finely chopped
Two garlic cloves, crushed
500g tomato passata
One teaspoon of caster sugar
One small bunch of fresh basil, chopped
50g gruyère cheese, grated
Two to three large tomatoes, each cut into eight wedges
Two teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 220C or 200C Fan and line two roasting tins with baking paper.
Put a mixture of the aubergines, red peppers, and courgettes in each roasting tin in a single layer.
Drizzle over four tablespoons of the oil and season well with salt and pepper.
Roast for about 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and just soft. Set aside to cool and reduce the oven temperature to 200C (180C fan) or gas mark six.
Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan before adding the onions and frying them for two to three minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
Put in the passata and season with the sugar and some salt and pepper before bringing it to a boil, then cover with a lid.
Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft and the sauce has reduced and thickened. Then add the basil.
Spoon half the sauce into the base of the ovenproof dish and arrange half of the roasted vegetables in a spiral pattern on top, seasoning with salt and pepper, then the cheese.
Spread the rest of the tomato sauce over the cheese, and then arrange the remaining vegetables and the tomato wedges in a pattern on top.
Sprinkle with the thyme, cover with foil, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until bubbling. Cut into slices and serve. This works perfectly as a main dish or even a side dish.