Ratatouille With Goats Cheese Herby Crumble Recipes

RATATOUILLE WITH GOAT'S CHEESE & HERBY CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Cut the aubergines and courgettes into thick slices, no thinner than 2cm/3⁄4in, then cut all the slices across in half. Set aside. Cut the peppers in half, remove and discard the seeds, then cut the peppers into bite-sized chunks. Set aside.
• Heat 5 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan, add the onions and garlic and gently fry for 8-10 minutes. Add the aubergines, courgettes and peppers and fry for a further 10 minutes. Tip in the chopped tomatoes, season well, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the chopped basil and leave aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, for the crumble, put the bread into a food processor and blend to fine crumbs. Add the pesto, herbs, the remaining olive oil and plenty of seasoning, then blend again.
• Cut the goat's cheese into large bitesized pieces and fold through the ratatouille. Spoon into a 2 litre/31⁄2 pint ovenproof dish. Sprinkle the herby crumb mixture over the top of the ratatouille.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5/fan oven 170C and bake the crumble for 25 minutes until golden.

GRILLED RATATOUILLE WITH CROSTINI AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the grill. Place vegetables and lemon on grill, making sure onion and lemons are cut side down, and cover. Grill lemon halves until lightly caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes total. Grill onion until it is heavily charred, about 7 to 15 minutes total. Grill peppers, zucchini and eggplant until charred and very soft, about 3 to 8 minutes per side total. Transfer to a cutting board.
• Grill bread until lightly charred and toasted, about 1 minute per side. Halve one or two of the garlic cloves and rub cut sides on the grilled bread. Mince remaining garlic clove and set aside.
• Chop vegetables into bite-size pieces and transfer to a large bowl; toss with the juice of 3 of the grilled lemon halves, the minced garlic, olive oil, basil, thyme leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some black pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings as needed, adding more lemon juice (from remaining lemon half), salt or oil, or both, as needed. Set aside.
• To serve, arrange ratatouille, grilled bread and goat cheese on a large platter. Sprinkle thyme leaves, pepper and flaky salt over goat cheese. Or spread goat cheese on toasts, sprinkle with thyme, pepper and flaky sea salt, then top with some of the ratatouille to make crostini.

SHEET-PAN RATATOUILLE WITH GOAT CHEESE AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees, and arrange two racks in the top and bottom thirds.
• On one rimmed 13-by-17-inch sheet pan, toss together onion slices, zucchini, 1/4 cup oil, 3 thyme springs, 2 rosemary sprigs, 3 garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• On a second rimmed baking sheet, toss together eggplant, red peppers, 1/4 cup oil, 3 thyme sprigs, 2 rosemary sprig, 3 garlic cloves and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
• Place one tray on the top rack, and a second on the bottom rack of the oven. Roast both for 40 minutes, stirring vegetables two or three times.
• Add tomatoes to the baking sheet with eggplant and peppers, then continue to roast until the tomatoes burst and the zucchini turn deeply golden brown, another 20 to 25 minutes. The vegetables will become very caramelized, and that's a good thing, particularly with the zucchini and onions.
• Transfer zucchini and onions to the baking sheet with eggplant, mix well, and spread in an even layer (it will just fit). Drizzle vegetables with another 1 tablespoon oil, then sprinkle goat cheese and olives over the top. Roast until goat cheese is soft and warmed through, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer vegetables to a serving platter, drizzle with a little more oil and squeeze juice from the one of the lemon wedges over the top. Garnish with basil leaves. Serve hot or warm, with more lemon wedges on the side.