Ease of Preparation: Easy
Yield: 4 servings
Vanessa Gianfrancesco, our charismatic host of Gusto TV’s ‘Let’s Brunch’, is inspired by the French as she cooks up simple yet elegant recipes for the perfect leisurely brunch. Here, Vanessa combines silky eggs with fresh zucchini, sweet peppers, aromatic garlic, crumbly goat cheese, and savory eggplant to make a hearty Ratatouille with Baked Eggs. Mon dieu!
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large eggplant, finely diced
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) red pepper flakes
- 2 cups (470 ml) finely diced plum tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups (470 ml) tomato sauce
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup (120 ml) crumbled goat cheese
- ¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh basil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 baguette, warmed, for serving
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, zucchini, and red pepper and cook until soft and slightly charred. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add eggplant and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add plum tomatoes, then stir in balsamic vinegar and tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 8-10 minutes over medium-low heat.
Use a large spoon to make 4 separate wells in the ratatouille. Carefully crack an egg into each well. Sprinkle goat cheese evenly over ratatouille. Transfer to skillet to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the whites of the eggs are set, but the yolks are still runny.
Garnish with basil and freshly ground pepper and serve with hunks of baguette.