Ratatouille

For some reason this dish just makes me feel warm and cozy inside! I think I just have a passion for it because of the movie Ratatouille, and therefore am reminded of Remy and his whole demeanor... Whatever the case, I enjoyed making this dish, and I hope if you all make it as well that you like my rendition of it too.

Ratatouille

Main:

• Baby Eggplant (Trimmed, Thinly Sliced)
• Zucchini (Trimmed, Thinly Sliced)
• Yellow Squash (Trimmed, Thinly Sliced)
• Red Pepper (Trimmed, Cored, and Thinly Sliced)
• Olive Oil (3 Tablespoons)
• Thyme (1 Teaspoon)

Sauce:

• Tomato Paste (6 Ounce Can)
• Tomato (2 Cups, Diced)
• Onion (1/2, Diced)
• Garlic (3 Cloves, Minced)
• Olive Oil (1 Tablespoon)
• Heavy Cream (1/4 Cup)
• Salt (To Taste)
• Pepper (To Taste)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit. 
• In a medium sauce pan, sauté the Onion and Garlic till translucent. Then bring together all the remaining Sauce ingredients to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Spread all of the sauce mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish, making sure that it is relatively even.
• In a large bowl mix together the Main ingredients so they are all coated lightly in Olive Oil and Thyme.
• Alternately arrange the slices starting at the outer edge of the casserole dish and moving concentrically towards the center. 
• Cover the dish with a piece of parchment paper that will fit inside the casserole dish, and bake for 45 minutes. (Or until the vegetables are tender.)
• Plate it and enjoy!

I absolutely loved this dish, I love how all the colors play off of one another. It truly has such a beautiful presentation piece to it, and everything is very simple and basic. Precisely the ideology that Hassan wanted to do when he mentioned going back to basics. I also loved how in the movie Ratatouille Remy went back to basics cooking for Anton Ego - the result was that he loved the dish.

Something that many chefs say, and that many people say in regards to earning Michelin stars is the following: less is more. 

I'm not saying that my home cooking is ever going to leave my kitchen, and its certainly not Michelin star worthy. I will say though that when I've taken the concept of "less is more" to heart, that it is those meals that end up being my favorite dishes. 

So tell me, what dishes have you all made where you've done the "less is more" concept?