ratatouille pasta

 

Overview

Time: 55 minutes 
Dishes: large skillet, medium pot

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

When my son told me that he had a hankering for Ratatouille, I thought - great, I can make that. 

Then he told me he had made it before - the authentic way, and I thought - hey, I can do that. 

Then he told me it took him 3 hours to make, and I thought - yeah, um, no.  

Although I agree with him wholeheartedly that Ratatouille should be made properly - cooked so that all the vegetables sing in harmony but each keep their integrity; not be overcooked but be properly cooked to perfection. However, I could not devote 3 hours to it. 

After preparing the dish, while complaining that it was not layered properly in thinly cut disks, he managed to keep shoveling the pasta into his mouth, so I will follow his actions and not so much listen to his gripes. In the meantime, my husband was head down into the bowl of pasta and by the time I got back to the kitchen there were only a few lingering squash pieces left in the pan. 

In order to cook the dish properly, you have to cook it in stages, very much like the Hungarian Lecso or the Spanish Sofrito. Only after the current layer is partly cooked, do you add the next ingredient. The ratatouille is then braised in broth and finally baked in the oven.

It sounds complicated, but take a look at the recipe - it is easy to prepare and the instructions are clear. 

Don't miss out.     

If you need inspiration for your weekly menu, check out ours HERE.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Chop the onion first and add to the  pan.
• Then mince the garlic and add it. 
• Chop the squash and eggplant while the onion cooks.
• Chop the tomato while the squash cooks.
• Cook the pasta while the ratatouille bakes.
• Save some cooking pasta water in case the ratatouille is too dry, but it shouldn't be needed.

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Ratatouille Pasta

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

Makes 4 servings 

weekday/weekend

Preheat oven to 400-F

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes 

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 medium summer squash (18 ounces), cut into 1-inch dice

1 medium eggplant (14 ounces), cut into 1-inch dice

2 medium tomatoes (15 ounces), chopped

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/4 cup vegetable broth

12 ounces pasta 

1/4 cup minced parsley 

1. Onion: Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add onion and chili flakes and garlic. Cook until the onion is golden, covered, about 8 minutes. Stir as needed.  

2. Squash: Add the squash and eggplant to the Onion. Cook until squash is starting to brown, 4 minutes. Stir as needed.   

3. Tomato: Add the tomato and paste to the Onion. Mix well. Cook until the paste is browning, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.    

4. Broth and Bake: Add the broth to the Onion. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400-F. Uncover and transfer to oven. Bake for 25 minutes. Alternately, transfer to an oven-safe dish to bake.  

5. Pasta: Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. 

6. Serve: Remove from the oven and stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Toss with Pasta. Serve.       

© 2021 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

Pint It!

vegan vegetarian meatless plant-based

pot pie with pizza crust

  

Overview

Time: 30 minutes
Dishes: large pot, baking sheet, oven 

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

I heard of the idea of using pizza dough as the crust of a pot pie, so when I first made this meatless, vegetarian and vegan dish, I made a pizza crust (baking it into the pan first) and then adding the pot pie filling and baking it a bit more. Well,.. it didn't turn out quite as I intended, but the flavors were great and my son-in-law asked me to make it again.

This time I just baked the crust as a pizza crust, topped with some vegan cheese, and served it along side the pot pie. This turned out to be faster, not as messy, not as soggy, but still very tasty. 

Although you might expect the crust to be on the bottom of the pot pie, it turns out better as more of a top to the pot pie. Roll the pizza dough into a regular pizza-looking crust, or cut into circles and then top them on to bowls of the pot pie. 

My husband, however, defied my logic and added the crust to the bowl, topped the crust with the filling and then used a knife and fork to eat it. He liked it that way, so I say more power to him.

If you need inspiration for your weekly menu, check out ours HERE.

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• If dough is refrigerated allow it to warm first.
• The pizza takes about 15 minutes to bake; start there.
• Make the filling while the crust bakes.
• Finish with the nondairy milk while the cheese melts, if using.
• Serve the crust with the filling - under, over or next to each other.

 

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Pot Pie with Pizza Crust

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

Makes 4 servings 

weekday

Preheat oven to 450-F

12 to 16-ounces pizza dough

4 to 6 slices vegan cheese (optional)

1 teaspoon olive oil

10-ounces vegan chicken-style strips or Savory Tofu

1/2 onion, chopped fine

3 medium carrots, sliced thin

2 cup chopped green beans or zucchini

1/2 cup corn or peas (optional)

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoon Easy Savory Broth Mix or 2 teaspoons Better Than Bullion

2 1/2 cups unsweetened, plain nondairy milk

1. Crust: Allow pizza dough to come to room temperature, if chilled. Roll out to 12-inches. Place on a baking sheet and spray with oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until browned. If adding cheese, bake for 10 minutes, add cheese and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove and cut into wedges. 

2. Protein: Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the protein and cook until browned, using a lid, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Chop when cool, if needed.

3. Vegetables: Add the onion, carrot, green beans and corn to the now empty skillet. Cook over medium heat, using a lid, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir as needed:

4. Gravy: Add the flour and broth mix to the Vegetables. Mix well and cook 3 minutes.

5.  Add the milk to the Gravy, 1/4-cup at a time, while stirring until smooth, to prevent lumps. Add the chopped Protein. Season to taste. Bring to simmer and cook until Vegetables are tender. Serve with the Crust on top or as a side. 

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

Pint It!

vegan vegetarian meatless plant-based