ratatouille

It's the perfect recipe for the season. An abundance of zucchini in the fridge inspired me to cook up this late summer classic. Emilie loved it, as you can see. Lately she's been really into rubbing food into her hair during meals, and it always ends up in her eyes. You see her rubbing them in the movie, but I promptly washed her after filming this. (No children were injured during the making of this film.)

Ratatouille
1 large, or 2 med zucchini or summer squash, sliced
1 red or yellow pepper, sliced
1 red or yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp tomato paste (optional)
6-8 medium tomatoes, chopped
handful fresh basil, ripped or chopped coarsely

In a large skillet, heat 1 T olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 min, stirring occasionally. When the onion starts to look translucent, add the zucchini and peppers. Cook for 2-3 min, then add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 30 sec-1 min stirring so as not to burn the garlic. Add all of the tomatoes and stir. Place a lid on the skillet and simmer for 15 min, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Take off the heat and add the basil. Serve over polenta, pasta, rice or with slices of bread and cheese.