Ratatouille Gratin with Goat Cheese Crumbles

Serves 6-8  *Vegetarian Ingredients:

• ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence, dried
• 6 cloves Garlic, smashed and peeled
• 2 large Yellow Onions quartered
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 2 medium Zucchini (about 1 ¼ lbs), cut into 2 pieces
• 1 medium Eggplant (about 14oz.), cut into 2 pieces
• 1 Red Bell Pepper seeded and quartered
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper seeded and quartered
• 2- 16oz can Whole Peeled Tomatoes with juices.
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
• 2 tbsp  Thyme dried
• 2-3oz Goat cheese
• 1-2 cups Bread Crumbs

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add herbs de Provence, thyme, garlic, onions, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant for about 10 minutes.  Increase heat to high, stir in the zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. When vegetables are cooked and tender transfer to individual croquette dishes. Top with generous crumbles of goat cheese the followed by a handful of breadcrumbs to cover over the vegetables. Once the breadcrumbs have browned and the Ratatouille is bubbling, after roughly 15 minutes, remove the croquettes from the oven and let sit. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Contributed by Leo Coulourides, Culinary Specialist for Plume Ridge Bottle Shop