Quick Chickpea Ratatouille
By Jools Abrahama of eatlikeyournana.com
All around the Mediterranean, you can find dishes that combine aubergine, courgette and tomatoes, sometimes with other summer vegetables. Ratatouille is a superb dish for the summer, when ripe, locally grown vegetables are at their best. But it can also be a midwinter casserole, as these vegetables are widely available out of season too.
This dish is traditionally simmered gently for an hour or more, or cooked in a low oven at 140°C. But if time is short, you can cook it much more quickly and still get a good result.
You can vary the ingredients according to what you have available, and leave out the pepper, aubergine or courgette if necessary.
I love this vegetable stew because it's so versatile. You can eat it as a vegetable accompaniment to any meat or fish, or as a sauce for pasta. If you want to boost the protein, you can add a fried egg or some cheese on the top. You can boost the fibre intake by adding some cooked chickpeas or kidney beans, and this makes a lovely vegan meal with rice or pasta.
• 1 tin (400g) cooked chickpeas or red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 medium onion
• 1 pepper - any colour
• 1 medium aubergine (about 300g)
• 1 medium courgette (about 200g)
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves (optional)
• 1 tin (400g) of tomatoes
• 3 tbsp olive oil or other cooking oil
Optional additions:
• Tabasco, chilli flakes or cayenne pepper
• Chopped coriander, basil or parsley
1. Cut the aubergine and courgette into 2cm cubes. Put them into a big bowl and mix in a whole tablespoon of salt (you will rinse it off later). Stir occasionally as juices appear.
2. Chop onion into medium-sized pieces of about 1cm. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions. Fry gently for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. While the onion is frying, cut the pepper into 2cm squares. Add the pepper to the onion and continue to fry gently.
4. Rinse the salt from the aubergines and courgette with lots of water. Drain. Add to the onions and pepper and continue frying.
5. If using garlic, peel the clove and crush it into the vegetable mixture and stir.
6. By this time, the vegetables will be starting to soften. Add the tinned tomatoes. If you like a bit of heat, stir in the Tabasco, chilli or cayenne pepper. Season to taste.
7. Cover the pot and continue cooking on a low heat for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can continue to cook it gently for up to an hour if you like it softer. If it looks dry, add a little water. Add fresh herbs, if using, at the end, and stir.