How I cook Ratatouille in the oven

Ratatouille, as probably all you know from the cartoon, it's stewed vegetables. Its easy to prepare and delicious (and good for diet). There are many recipes you can find in Internet. IThis is my own recipe for Ratatouille, proved by my personal experience. I tried different recipes from the Internet and I have found for myself the most delicious version. Believe me - it's Yummy! I cook it in the oven and not in the pot. 

Unfortunately, I forgot to make intermediate photos, but I think from the photo of the final product you already want to taste it)) 

You will need: zucchini, eggplant, paprika, tomatoes, potatoes, onions and cheese sprinkled on top (I sprinkled, like all Italians parmesan), you can use also Provencal spices. 

To begin, chop onions, paprika and tomatoes (separately) and fry first onions, then add the paprika and at the end tomatoes. At this stage, add salt and spices. You've got the sauce, which we will later fill in vegetables. 

Slice vegetables, eggplant can be semi-round, or if they are very large - cut into quarters. The same is for the potatoes. Well, zucchini are small) 

Prepare an oven dish. Pour a little of the sauce on the bottom, then begin to put vegetables. This can be also done during preparing the sauce and yes, it is the longest part )) But I like how it looks in the end, so I do it. In course - eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, etc., in rows. If  somewhere remains some space, fill it in with some pieces. At the end pour sauce almost till the "roof" and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees until done. I can't tell you exact cooking time - I didn't noticed it.

Riсe, potatoes and mussels

Today I'll write how to cook one of the best dish of Salento cuisine. Salento is a region in the south of Italy. It’s famous for his beaches and cuisine. The meal is named “Riso patate e cozze” – rice potatoes and mussels.

So you'll need:
2 kg (4.4 lb) of potatoes
1 kg (2.2 lb) of fresh opened mussels (if they are not opened you’ll need 2 kg – 4.4 lb)
0.3 kg (0.66 lb) of rice
One onion
1 kg (2.2 lb) of tomatoes
Couple cloves of garlic
250 gr (0.55 lb) of grated Parmigiano - Parmesan cheese
Parsley
Breadcrumbs
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Ground black pepper
Salt


In a small container slosh the rice with the water and leave it.

Peel potatoes. Cut potatoes into thin slices.
Cut tomatoes to small pieces. Clean garlic cloves. Cut the onion vertically into thin slices.

Cut some parsley.

Put all ingredients in the big pot. Dredge grated Parmesan.

Then pour the oil. Put salt and pepper. Top up little water and mix it well. Leave it for half an hour.
Get a frying pan enough deep. We got the frying earthen pan, because we will cook in the stone oven. Remove the garlic from the pot. Pour a little oil in the pan. Put a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the pan.

Then put the layer of mussels.


Dredge the rice.

Put a little of cutted parsley.

Put salt and pepper.


Dredge grated Parmesan.

Put remaining potatoes. Carefully pour in the pan all the liquid from the pot with potatoes. If the water does not reach the level of potatoes, add the water. If you don’t do this, the rice quickly absorbs all the water and the dish will be dry. If you pour too much water, the rice absorbs not all the water.
Dredge Parmesan.

Pepper it and dredge breadcrumbs.

Pour some oil on the top.

If you cook at home, heat the oven to 250 degrees. Put the pan in the bottom of the oven. When the potatoes seem cooked - the dish is ready. Put the pan in the top of the oven. Turn in the oven grill for some minutes for delicious golden crust. When you take out the pan from the oven, leave it for 10-15 minutes. It will be more flavourful.

Enjoy the cuisine of Salento!