Ratatouille

Ratatouille

This is a staple at home. Best to make huge vats of this (double up recipe), bag it and freeze it. That said it'll last quite some time in the fridge (the tomatoes help). Warning it doesn't last long.

Ingredients
2 large onions finely chopped
3 large courgettes chopped into 1 to 1 1/2 cm cubes
3 peppers finely chopped (use assorted colours)
3 cloves of garlic crushed
2 teaspoons of tomato puree
2 tins of tinned plum tomatoes
Dried herbs (Provencal Herbs/Mixed Italian Herbs/Oregano) - Be generous
Handful of fresh basil chopped
A little dark muscavo sugar
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to season

1. Cook the onions, garlic in some olive oil with some dried herbs, salt and pepper in a large frying pan - once cooked place in large saucepan.
2. Cook the courgettes in the same frying pan with some olive oil and some dried herbs, salt and pepper - once cooked place in large saucepan.
3. Cook the peppers in the same frying pan with some olive oil and some dried herbs, salt and pepper - once cooked place in large saucepan.
4. Combine the onions, courgettes and peppers and add a teaspoon or two of dark muscavo sugar to take away the bitterness of the tomatoes and help caramelise the onions, courgette and peppers.
5. Add the tinned tomatoes (if the tomatoes are whole break them up prior to adding) to the large saucepan. Use a little water to wash out the tins and add as well. 
6. Add the tomato puree, chopped basil and cook for 1/2 an hour.
7. This is always better the second or third time its heated up.

Serving suggestions: Add a little fresh chill (when cooking the onions) / chilli oil or tabasco (later in the process) if you like your food a little hotter. And if you have some left over blend it up to use as a pasta sauce.