Ratatouille on Parmesan Polenta with Goat Cheese

I never thought I’d say this, but I love ratatouille! I’ve always found it kind of gloppy. But when I had leftovers from the tart, I julienned them and found out that done just right, there is nothing gloppy or yucky about it! So this is more about my process than the ingredients, which are pretty standard. I have had it on toast, on polenta, and my current favorite is in an omelet with goat cheese. Deeee-lish!

2 tbs good olive oil
1 small eggplant, sliced thinly and cut into small strips
1 small yellow squash, sliced thinly and cut into small strips
1 small zucchini, sliced thinly and cut into small strips
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 sweet peppers, roasted, skinned, and cut into strips
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 sprigs thyme
1 sprig oregano, leaves chopped
any more herbs you wish
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large pan until very hot. Add eggplant, squash, and zucchini and fry until slightly golden – 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. Cook until tomatoes start to soften and lose their juices. Season to taste.
The beauty of this version is that the texture is perfect – the tomatoes are soft but not liquid, the eggplant is nicely browned, and the squash isn’t over cooked. I could pretty much eat this every day. It sounds like it takes a long time, but it’s actually really fast. I only make enough for about 2 servings – so a small eggplant and two small squash do the trick.