Ratatouille, Greek Style

GREEK BAKED VEGETABLES (Briam)

(adapted from Martha Rose Shulman, NYT)

This is a Greek version of ratatouille.  It is vegan and easy to make, and cutting veggies goes much faster if there are two cooks! All veggies can be prepped a day or hours ahead except potatoes.  Onions can be precooked too. 

Prep Time: 1 hours

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Cooking Utensils:  medium deep baking dish (small lasagna pan or 10 inch cast iron skillet can work) mixing bowl, chef’s knife, large skillet, paper towels (for drying eggplant), aluminum foil or lid for baking dish

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant  
• 2 medium red onions
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 1 ½ pounds potatoes any size, scrubbed, peeled if desired
• 1 ½ pounds zucchini
• 2 large bell peppers, seeded
• ⅓ to ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• 2 pounds tomatoes, seeded and chopped, or a 28-ounce can, drained
• Salt & Black pepper
• ½ to 1 pound small okra, ends trimmed, (optional)
• ¼ -1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 4-6 Tbsp chopped marjoram or oregano, or 4 teaspoons dried

Preparation

1. If eggplant is thin and long, slice about 1/4-inch thick. If it’s fat, halve it lengthwise, then slice in 1/4-inch-thick half-moons. Sprinkle with salt and put on paper towels for 30 minutes, then press excess water from eggplant using paper towels.
2.  Thinly slice onions and mince garlic. 
3.  Slice potatoes, zucchini and peppers into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. 
4.  Heat the oven to 375 degrees. 
5.  Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat in medium heavy skillet. Add onions. Stir often,
until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add pinch of salt and stir in garlic. Cook for
another minute or two, until fragrant. 
6.   Lightly oil a deep earthenware baking dish or a heavy Dutch oven. 
7.   Put tomatoes in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in remaining olive oil. 

Assembly

1.   Spread a thin layer of tomatoes in the baking dish or Dutch oven

2.   Layer with1/3 of the onions and garlic.

3.   Layer with 1/2 the potato slices

4.   Layer 1/2 of zucchini slices and season

5.   Layer with 1/2 of eggplant,

6.   Layer 1/2 of peppers and 1/2 the okra, (if using).

7.   Sprinkle on 1/2 of parsley, about 1/3 of the marjoram or oregano and some pepper.

8.   Layer another 1/3 of the onions 

9.   Layer 1/2 of remaining tomatoes. Sprinkle 1/2 of remaining marjoram or oregano.

10. Repeat layers with remaining vegetables.ending with layer of onions topped with
remaining tomatoes.

11.  Sprinkle with remaining herbs.

12.  **Pour juice from (canned) tomatoes over the mixture.

Cover with foil or lid. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Gently press vegetables down into juice. Bake another 30 minutes, or until all vegetables are thoroughly tender. Cool until warm and serve, or refrigerate overnight and reheat.

**NOTE: If there is too much liquid or it’s watery, strain in a colander over a bowl, pour into skillet or pan, and reduce the juices over medium-high heat (place a flame tamer over the burner if you’re using the earthenware dish). It may take 10-12 minutes to reduce juices to a syrup but it is well worth the effort as it really concentrates the flavor or the dish. Pour syrupy juices over the vegetables.