Ratatouille, a Provençale stew of summer vegetables, is the perfect accompaniment to your favorite Hill Family Estate wine. Combining haunting sweetness with savory notes and slight acidity, this is one of those rare dishes that can go with either a white or a red (not to mention our Rosé of Pinot Noir!). Traditionally, each vegetable is cooked separately, and that is the method we use in ours. This way each element retains its own characteristics, even when everything is slowly cooked together in the final baking. While this is a rather involved recipe, the results will reward your patience and diligence in the kitchen!

INGREDIENTS

1 medium sized globe eggplant (or the equivalent of the longer Asian eggplants)

3 – 4 small zucchini

2 red bell peppers

1 yellow onion

1 can of chopped tomatoes (any brand will work, but we recommend Pomì from Italy)

2 cloves fresh garlic

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

¼ to ½ teaspoon dried lavender flowers (to taste)

Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ cup of dry white wine (Hill Family Estate Albariño is perfect, but one of our Sauvignon Blancs will also work well).

  • Brush a glazed casserole with olive oil.
  • Slice the eggplant as thin as you possibly can. If your knife skills are exceptional, you can cut it by hand, otherwise, I recommend a mandoline. However, if you need to have thicker slices, the important thing is to make sure that they are even. Lay them on a silicone baking sheet, sprinkle them with salt and let them rest for 20 minutes. After they have rested, blot them with a paper towel, brush them with extra virgin olive oil, and crack pepper over them. Put them in the oven and roast until they begin to turn golden brown, about 12 minutes, turning once and brushing the top with olive oil. When they are done, layer the slices on the bottom of the casserole.
  • While the eggplant is roasting, similarly slice the zucchini, brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. When the eggplant is transferred to the casserole, roast the zucchini slices until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Place them in the casserole on top of the eggplant.
  • Core the peppers, cut them in half lengthwise, and cut them into thin sticks across the halves. Season them with salt and pepper and sauté them in extra virgin olive oil over medium heat, until they start to char slightly. Add them to the casserole over the zucchini.
  • Slice the onions thinly, season with salt and pepper and sauté in extra virgin olive oil until they just begin to turn color. Add them to the casserole.
  • Heat a splash of olive oil in the hot skillet and add the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and a turn of cracked pepper. As they are cooking, add the lavender. Place the thyme in your hand and spank it (it looks silly, but spanking any member of the mint family before use will greatly enhance its aroma), strip the leaves and add them to the tomatoes. Finely mince (or use a garlic press) the garlic and add it to the tomatoes. Simmer until the tomatoes become almost a paste. They should not look dry, but you want it to go beyond the soupy phase. Add them to the top of the casserole.
  • Drizzle the wine over the casserole and bake the casserole for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees, until the tomatoes just start to brown.

Remove from the oven and enjoy, preferably with a crusty baguette and a bottle of Hill Family Estate wine!