The other night I needed an easy vegetarian dinner that could take care of itself in the oven. I had my sister-in-law over with her husband and little Miss L. and there was lots to do before their arrival....
Somewhere in the house, buried in a cardboard box I have a folder with some of my favorite recipes (yes, more). There is this recipe for a vegetable casserole with a cheesy semolina topping ....but like so many my other things, that folder has temporarily gone....waiting for a rainy day, when I will go through the remaining things that languish in a dark corner. In the meantime, I had to wing it...
Fresh from the Farmers Market, I used the Zucchini, Eggplant , Mushrooms and Capsicum to make a Ratatouille, flavoured with plenty of Garlic, Onion, tomato and fresh Basil. While this was cooking, I tidied the house, made up beds and put away toys and explained to the boys the finer details of sharing. I then proceeded to make Polenta. I added extra water to make it into a fairly sloppy consistency. The Ratatouille then went into a square baking dish, the Polenta spooned over. The final touch was a generous handful of Parmesan over the Polenta and a few dots of butter.
Et voila, a Ratatouille and Polenta bake. As soon as the Polenta is crispy and golden, it is ready to go.
I think everyone has got their own version of a Ratatouille. Some leave out the Eggplant, add other vegetables or even a can of beans for a more substantial meal. I find it a good way to use up tired looking vegetables. If you have leftover Polenta, you could grill it the next day topped with some cheese and served with salad.
That night we also had a Rhubarb and Pear Crumble. Love Rhubarb at the moment. And Quinces...
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