I admit, before the movie came out, I had no idea what ratatouille actually was. However, based on the blank looks I get when I mention that I made ratatouille last night, being unfamiliar with the dish is the norm.

It turns out that ratatouille is several squashes and garden vegetables baked or stewed together with herbs and then given name that is long and hard to spell. Since I prefer not to stand over the stove, my version is baked. My version also includes sausage, because I want it to.
This can be put together ahead of time and baked any time you want.

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

2 T minced garlic or 5-6 cloves of roasted garlic

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes (diced is also fine)

1 T basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

Salt and pepper

1 medium eggplant, thinly sliced

3 medium zucchini, sliced

1 crookneck squash, sliced

1 14 oz. kielbasa

Preheat the oven to 375º and lightly spray a 9″x13″ casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Dice your onion and bell pepper(any color) and saute them over med-high heat until the onion is mostly translucent. If you’re using fresh garlic, add it in a few minutes before the onions are done. If you use roasted garlic, which I recommend, you can smash the cloves and add them once the onion and pepper are done.

Take it off the heat and add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, and thyme to the onions, pepper, and garlic, and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

You can probably slice all your vegetables while the onions and pepper are sauteing. For the eggplant, quarter it lengthwise, and then slice pretty thinly, about 1/8th of an inch. The zucchini and crookneck squash can be sliced thicker, in about 1/4 inch slices. The zucchini and crookneck slices can be mixed together, but keep them separate from the eggplant.

Also slice the kielbasa when you’re slicing the vegetables. Slice the whole thing as thinly as you can manage without the pieces falling apart. I like to cut it on a bias so the surface area is larger, which makes me feel like it’s easier to layer.

Once your vegetables and sausage are sliced and the sauce is ready, you’re ready to assemble. Put down a tight single layer of sliced eggplant in the bottom of your casserole dish, then a layer of zucchini and crookneck slices, then a looser layer of sausage. Spread 1/3 of your onion, pepper, tomato mixture evenly over everything, and then repeat: eggplant, zucchini/crookneck, sausage, sauce. You should get 3 full rounds of layering in. If you have leftovers of vegetables or sausage, just put them on top and cover with the sauce.

Bake at 375º for 1 hour, then check the vegetables to see if they are done to your liking. I aim for the narrow range between not firm and not mushy. If they still seem a little too firm, bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Serve this up in a bowl and enjoy.