"Parmigiano-Reggiano adds salty, nutty richness to this ratatouille, which rivals the best oven versions. To speed preparation, feel free to skip the first step of salting and rinsing the eggplant and zucchini (this process draws off any bitter juices). Instead, just remove any particularly seedy and brown parts of the eggplant, or use smaller Japanese eggplants (which also do not need to be peeled). For pizzazz, add chickpeas and pitted, chopped oil-cured black olives. To make this dish vegan, swap in olive oil for the butter and skip the cheese (adding olives will make up for cheese's saltiness). When reheating the polenta, add liquid (such as chicken stock or milk), then adjust the seasoning if necessary with more salt, pepper, and butter...."
INGREDIENTS
•
Cooking spray
•
2 large eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 10 1/2 cups)
•
3 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 1/2 cups)
•
3 tablespoons coarse salt
•
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
•
2 small to medium red onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 3 1/2 cups)
•
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
•
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
•
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
•
1/4 cup tomato paste
•
One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
•
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
•
10 grinds black pepper
•
1/2 cup packed freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1/4 pound)
•
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
•
6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
•
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
•
1 1/2 cups polenta or coarse-ground cornmeal (not instant)
•
1/2 stick unsalted butter
•
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (about 1/2 cup)
•
10 grinds black pepper
