Hellllzzzzz yessssss 😍
Choppity chop
Bechamel sauce
Bottom layer of goodness
First layer of veggies, kind of messy but we will neaten this shit up
Second layer, now neat
BAKED OMFG U GUYS ARE GONNA LOVE THIS UHG SO GOOD I CAN’T
What’s up you beautiful people!! 👋🏻
Writing to you from my bed. It’s 3 pm, totally normal. 😅
Today we’re making Ratatouille. Well, not today, I made this the other night. But I have been busyyyyy so we’re just properly giving it the attention it deserves today.
To be totally honest, this was my first time making Ratatouille and I wasn’t sure I was going to blog it because… well… that’s a bit risky lol. But it turned out so damn good that I had no choice but to share it. NO. CHOICE.
I feel like I do so much cooking that I never share here with you guys. Do you want to see more? Tell me pleaseeee!
That being said, food is my sweet sweet lover til the day I die (sorry Troy) so it will basically always be part of Skinny Belle lol. But still, if you want more of this action tell meh and I will make your wildest dreams come true. 😉
Okay so Ratatouille.
I was inspired to make this when I had a very average-at-best Ratatouille dish in Park City last weekend. Does that ever happen to you? When you are at a restaurant and someone serves you something and you’re like…. uhmmmmmm nope! Try again stud. I can do better. 💪🏻 #flexin
Anywho, I did a bunch of googling and combined a few recipes to figure out how to make this dish, being that it was my first time and all.
The result? A garlicy kind-of-spicy pumped-up Ratatouille. Yes, pumped up. That is a way to describe food lol.
Ok before I get weird here let me just share the recipe with you:
Veggies
– 1 zucchini
– 1 Japanese eggplant (the long kind, my whole foods didn’t have one so I had to use a regular eggplant and it was kind of a bitch)
– 1 yellow squash
– 1 red bell pepper
– 2 red potatoes (try and find small-ish ones that have a similar circumference to your other veggies, makes things easier)
– 2 yellow potatoes (^^ditto)
Béchamel sauce
*Just saying the name of this sauce makes me feel so sohpisticated. Even though I 100% butcher the pronunciation every time 😂
– 1 tbsp butter
– 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
– 1 cup 2% milk or whole
– 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Tomato sauce
– 2 cups basil tomato sauce (just buy it, makes ur life easier)
– 3 garlic cloves, sliced
– 5 thyme sprigs
– 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
– 1 to 2 tsp dried chili flakes (I like two, just depends on your spice tolerance)
– Salt + pepper
– more EVOO to coat the baking dish (extra virgin olive oil, duh.)
How to make dis Ratatouille
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375. Cut all your veggies nice and thin. If you are fancy and have a mandolin slicer, use that. I did not have that, so I did it with a knife. Worked just fine for me!
Step 2: Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the potato slices and boil for about 3 – 4 mins, so they are a little soft. Drain the water and put the potato slices on thick paper towel so they aren’t soggy. (Gross.)
Step 3: Make your béchamel sauce. Microwave 1 cup of milk, set aside. In a small saucepan melt 1 tbsp of butter. Add the flour and cook for about 1 – 2 mins. Careful the flour doesn’t start to brown, that’s bad news bears. Little by little, slowly whisk in your warm milk. Make sure there are no clumps. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Set aside, stir every few mins so the top doesn’t get weird.
Step 4: Rub the inside of your baking dish with EVOO. Don’t put a ton, I use a paper towel to make sure it’s just a thin layer. Put a layer of tomato sauce, sliced garlic, chili flakes, thyme, pepper, salt, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Mix it up, then swirl in your béchamel sauce with a whisk.
Step 5: Take your veggies and place them in a swirl pattern around the baking dish. Start at the outside and work your way inside. I decide on a pattern of veggies, then make mini sticks in my hand to lay out in groups. First layer doesn’t need to be too pretty, just even. Second later should be pretty!
Step 6: Garnish your dish with more thyme, a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cover with parchment paper, bake for 60 mins. Let rest for a few minutes before you dig in.
The best part of this recipe is it feel so satisfying and rich even though it is actually super low cal. Great for me because I have been major in vacation mode the past few weeks and seriously need to get my shit together. So, Ratatouille all day for me!
ENJOY!!!
xoxoxoxox,
