Ratatouille by Nick Faucher of BirchTree Bread Company

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Ingredients

2 Medium Eggplants diced

4 Tbs Olive Oil, dividedplus more to taste 

1 Yellow Onion chopped 

4—6 Garlic Cloves minced 

Pinch Of Crushed Red Pepper 

1 Red Bell Pepper chopped 

1 Zucchini And/Or Summer Squash diced

3 Ripe Tomatoes diced 

6 Basil Leaves chopped 

Salt

Instructions

Toss eggplant with a few pinches of salt
and set in a colander to drain, then pat eggplant dry with a towel — This will extract some of the moisture and enable caramelization of the eggplant 

Set a heavy bottom pot to medium-high heat, add 2 Tbs olive oil and sear eggplant until golden brown

Remove eggplant from pot, set aside 

Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and saute onions for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until translucent

Add garlic, crushed red pepper and 1 tsp salt  

Cook for 3-4 minutes, stir in peppers
and squash

Cook for a few more minutes then stir in tomatoes

Continue cooking for another 10 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down and liquid has started to evaporate

Stir in the cooked eggplant and cook until all vegetables are tender

Season with salt and pepper, and fold in chopped basil and more olive oil
to taste

Serve warm, cold, or room
temperature with your favorite
loaf of BirchTree bread