Ratatouille Served Over Polenta

                                                                 Photo by www.photosbychristine.com

Gallerano—a good old Italian family name, and we Italians have many traditions:  the seven fishes on Christmas Eve, Zepolle on Saint Joseph’s Day, Pizza Rustica (Rustic Pizza aka meat pie) on Easter, and no meat on Fridays during Lent to name a few.  On those meatless Fridays, Mamma (remember that’s what we called my grandmother) would make a frittata, pizza, or, my favorite, Ratatouille over Polenta.  The Ratatouille makes a great first dish or, add some cannellini beans for protein, and you have a terrific main course.  I’m telling you, it’s really good.  Also, remember, if you try this or any of the recipes, please post or e-mail glg2611@gmail.com and let me know what you think.  Oh, and as for my diet, I have lost 3.6 pounds this week.  I know “.6” why not just say 3 or 3 and half.  Trust me, anyone who has tried to lose weight will tell you, between the exercising and the dieting, we want every ounce we’ve lost accounted for. So, as I said, 3.6 pounds.   Oh and remeber to become a follower here at bloger or a fan on facebook.  Facebook link is on the left. 


Enjoy and see you next Monday.

Ratatouille

Ingredients

6 medium zucchini

6 medium fryer peppers

1 large eggplant

1 medium onion coarsely chopped

2 cloves elephant garlic finely chopped

3 heaping teaspoons of tomato paste

1 28 oz. can of plum tomatoes, hand crushed

Juice from can of plum tomatoes

2 teaspoons olive oil

Olive Oil Pam Spray

1 teaspoon of salt or season to taste

Select firm zucchini, wash and scrape lightly.  Remove the top of the zucchini and cut a thin slice from the bottom and discard.  Cut in half and cut each half lengthwise.  Remove the seedy center of the zucchini as this tends to get mushy.  Slice the zucchini crosswise, about 1/4 inch thick.  The cut pieces will be crescent-shaped.

Wash fryer peppers, cut in half and remove stem and seeds.  Cut the halves into quarters, lengthwise, and cut each quarter in half, crosswise.

Wash the eggplant, remove top and a slice from bottom.  Cut in quarters and clean out some of the seeds.  Cut the eggplant in 1 inch chunks.

Drain the juice from the can of plum tomatoes into a bowl and set aside.  Hand crush the plum tomatoes, removing the inside stem if you desire, and set aside.

Spray a five or seven quart pot with Olive Oil Pam Spray, add the two teaspoons of olive oil, and sauté the garlic over medium heat for one minute.  Add onions and sauté until translucent (about four minutes).  If the garlic and onions stick to the bottom of the pot, turn off the heat and spray the mixture with the Olive Oil Pam Spray.  Then continue sautéing.  Mix in the tomato paste, melting it into the mixture, about two minutes, stirring constantly.  Stir in the juice from the can of plum tomatoes and add the hand-crushed plum tomatoes.  Season with one teaspoon of salt or season to taste.  Cook for five minutes.  Add peppers, zucchini, and eggplant.  Coat all vegetables with the tomato, onion, and garlic mixture.  Simmer, stirring often, until vegetables are tender (about ten to fifteen minutes).  Serve over Polenta.

Note:  If you would like to add protein to the Ratatouille, add a one pound can of Cannellini beans with the liquid, and reduce the juice from the plum tomatoes to half.

Polenta

Ingredients

3 cups boiling water

1 cup yellow corn meal

1 cup cold water

1 tablespoon of light margarine

Salt to taste

Bring the three cups of water to a boil.  Combine the corn meal with the cold water, stirring to break up any lumps.  Add this gradually to the boiling water, stirring constantly.  Add the margarine and salt and continue cooking for twenty minutes, stirring constantly.  Pour Polenta into an oval vegetable dish and let stand at room temperature until ready to use.  When ready, turn Polenta on to a platter and slice.  Makes eight servings.

Serve the Ratatouille over the Polenta.