This is a first for me. A new low in the depths I’ll go to when seeking inspiration for new recipes. Painful as it is to admit, this idea came in large part from the Disney animated movie, Ratatouille.
Stop smirking.
Yes, when Remy the rat saved Linguini’s restaurant by serving up ratatouille to food critic, Anton Ego, that was the first time I saw it prepared in layered fashion, cooked under parchment and served with the sauce as a garnish.
To ensure I am not infringing on the intellectual property of a cartoon character, I did my own take on this “recipe”. (The real shame will come if Remy’s dish is proven superior to mine.) His version is, of course, vegan. Any self-respecting varmint would be expected to avoid animal-based products in his creation, lest he dare invite the scorn of his fellow four-legged critters. I, on the other hand, have introduced cheese into my preparation. Should you choose to side with the rat on this point, go ahead and eliminate the cheese.
Getting down to business, the preparation of my dish is quite simple – it’s just a matter of layering the zucchini and yellow squash between layers of tomato sauce. And if you side with me on the matter of cheese, you have two choices: either pulverize it in a food processor which results in a more chewy textured topping, or grate it with a micro-plane for a fine, fluffy, smooth crust on top. Your choice, but I opt for the chewier version here as I like to chomp into cheese-y bits.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups tomato sauce
2 zucchini – sliced diagonally in ¼ inch slices (for faster cooking time, use a food mandoline to cut very thin, uniform-sized pieces)
2 yellow squash – sliced the same thickness as the zucchini
½ cup grated parmesan
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a baking, pie or tart dish, spread ½ of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish.
- Arrange the zucchini and yellow squash slices alternatively, overlapping eachother.
- Cover the zucchini and yellow squash with the remaining tomato sauce. Use more if needed to cover completely.
- If using parmesan cheese, spread a thin layer over the top.
- Bake for 60 minutes. (If you sliced the veggies paper thin, less cooking time is required – more like 45 – 50 minutes.)
- Serve hot.
genevieve y says
Hi Amy,
First of all, great blog! Your ratatouille looks absolutely delish, and I love the PIXAR movie, too! My favourite scene is when he gets the flavour explosion thing going on- where all the colours and flavours just magically meld. I just saw that you put me onto the list of blogs you admire, and I am so flattered! I can’t believe I’ve been put up there with some of my favourite blogs like My New Roots, Green Kitchen Stories, and My Darling Lemon Thyme. Thank you so much for the mention. I just subscribed to your blog so hopefully your updates will start appearing in my inbox soon 🙂
Sending lots of blog love your way xx
Gen
Amy says
Hi Gen: Thanks for checking out my blog. It’s a bit nerve-racking trying to get my feet under me as start things out, so I really appreciate your visit. And yes, I do love the movie Ratatouille. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve seen it more than a few times, and not even when nieces or nephews are around as an excuse. I know the scene you’re referring to — I can relate! I love the blend of things you do on your blog, and the recent post that really caught my eye was the Gratitude Salad posted on September 24. It’s absolutely beautiful — my mouth started watering the minute I laid eyes on it. That’s why I’m so crazy for veggies because not only do they taste wonderful, but the colors are out of this world beautiful. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with next! Sending blog love across the pond to you! Amy