Day 2 - Vegan Ratatouille Tarte Tatin (4.6.10)

With one relatively easy and filling dinner under my belt I thought I'd whip out what I'd like to call my "fine" cooking skills :-) I pulled out an old vegetarian cookbook that I have never used. I remember getting it a Borders years ago in the bargain book section and thought to myself, "will I actually use this or will it just sit on the shelf and take up space??" Well, of course I bought it because how do you pass up a cookbook for $5?! Plus I'm sure I was starving and the pics in this book are beautiful! However, I did change up some things to our palette preferences and put a new spin on it.

Ratatouille is a classic in French cuisine -so is la tarte tatin. When you love savoury dough and juicy well-cooked colourful vegetables, this dish is simply sure to please you.

What is Ratatouille?
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the name was used to refer to a coarse stew. It derived from tatouiller and ratouiller, both expressive forms of the French verb touiller which means to stir up.

This dish originated in Nice and is known all around Provence and France now, with a lot of different variations. The base however stays the same: zucchinis, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onion cooked in olive oil. All the beautiful flavors of the South of France. It is known that the word ratatouille was in use in Nice whereas the word bourbouillade was used in Nîmes. Easy to make, the originality of the dish is that it can be eaten cold or warm, or as in my version, as a vegetable tarte tatin.
What is a Tarte tatin?
Everyone has heard about the famous apple tart of the Tatin sisters. What is so special about this apple tart and how did it happen?
In the 19th century in Sologne, Jean Tatin owned l’Hôtel Tatin. He had two daughters, Caroline and Stéphanie, who took on their father’s business after his death. Caroline was the example to follow, dealing with the clientèle. People would remember her as an efficient honest young lady. Stéphanie was somewhat different. She was an excellent cook and was the one preparing beautiful meals in the hotel. However beside being known for her cooking skills, she was also known as a very lightheaded woman. One of her specialities was the apple tart, which one day, she simply prepared upside-down. La tarte Tatin was born. A tarte Tatin is today known as an upside-down apple tart: in the dish, apples are placed first over a sugar layer before the dough on top. When it comes out of the oven, the tart is flipped on a dish and one can discover a beautiful caramelized top.
Tarte Tatin can also be made with pears, pineapple, peaches, other fruit, or in my version, vegetables.

So there's a little history on this incredibly delicious dish!!

Ratatouille Tarte Tatin

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 tablespoons (about) ice water

Directions

• Mix all ingredients together in a food processor, starting with flour and salt and butter, then adding the water until the dough is elastic and detaches from the bowl (Can be done by hand too but then you need to work the dough longer).
• Let the dough rest for 30 mns min, covered in the fridge before using.

For the Ratatouille:

• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 large yellow onion
• 3 medium zucchinis
• 3 medium Italian eggplants
• Half red pepper
• Half orange pepper
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• Dash of white balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• 1/2 Cheddar cheese
  
• Dash of coriander powder
• Fresh basil (about 1 tbsp)
• Fresh parsley and coriander (about 1 tbsp each)
• Sprig of thyme

Directions:

• Wash the eggplants and cut them in small cubes. Place them in a sieve and sparkle with salt. Set aside for 30 mns (by doing this, the eggplants are more tender when cooked).
• Wash the zucchinis and peppers and cut in small cubes.
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in your preferred simmered-food pot. When hot, add the chopped yellow onion and chopped garlic and cook on medium heat until the vegetables are softer.
• Add the coriander powder and continue to cook until the fragrance of the coriander can be smelled. Then add the zucchinis and stir. Cook for a few mins until softer, then remove from pot.
• Heat another tbsp of olive oil in the pot and cook the peppers. When softer, remove.
• Do the same thing with the eggplants, then add the reserved zucchinis and peppers with the thyme and cook for about 10 mns.
• Add the washed cherry tomatoes left intact. Cook for 5 mns. In total, the cooking time varies from 30 to 40 mns (remember the vegetables will still cook in the oven).
• Add then the chopped coriander, basil and parsley and the balsamic vinegar and stir. Your vegetables should soft. If hard still, prolong the cooking time.
• Preheat your oven at 400 F (200 C).
• Grease and line a 10 inch springform tin
• Place the vegetables all the way to the edge (make sure you do not add the juice from the ratatouille as the vegetables will give out more juice while cooking in the oven).
• Cover with cheddar cheese.
• Roll the dough (medium thickness) and cut to 12 inch circle.
• Cover the vegetables with a dough circle and with the help of a knife blade, tuck the border of the dough inside.
• Place the tartin in the oven and cook for about 30 mins or until the dough has a nice golden color.
• Let cool for a few mins before running a sharp knife blade around the mold, to help unmold the tart.
• After letting it stand, take a serving plate and flip the tart onto it.
• Cut and enjoy!
  

THE VERDICT:

Vic: "This may be one of the best things I've ever eaten....".
Amanda: "I love vegetable pie."