Ratatouille in filo parcels

What I say is true.  Anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great. – Chef Gusteau, Ratatouille the movie

Ratatouille in filo parcels - Lesson 2 - Vegetables, Fruits, Eggs and Farinaceous Dishes

Spring is here!  And as the temperature gets warmer, it has been busy in the home front for weeks now, with my sis in law in town. Weekends have been full on and its just buzzing every single day at home.  Besides the usual routine of school-work-activities, we have not had the chance try anything new in the kitchen.  I've had so much bookmarks saved from Pinterest, from the coming school holiday (end of September to mid October) all the way up to Halloween! Exciting DIY projects and baking and cooking and art projects!  I've been thinking of re-painting the kitchen and living room walls, despite the fact that we are renting.  Its an extra process to ask permission just so we can make some changes but that's fine.  Spring is the time to do all these!  I just hope to keep all these projects going!


In Kitchen 10, we’ve moved on from salads and appetizers, to vegetables, eggs and farinaceous dishes.  I’m pretty stoked with my grades for the previous unit and so still happily floating and learning new things.   A week ago we made ratatouille.  A very simple provincial dish originating from Occitan Provenca in France.  It is vegetarian all the way.  It’s a simple dish packed full of nutrients.  A great side dish to any mains, or as we did, as a savoury filling.

We made this dish with:

1 zucchini, diced

Half of a large aubergine (or 1 medium sized), diced

Half red capsicum, diced

Half green capsicum, diced

2 whole tomato concasse, diced

1 onion, diced

2 garlic, diced

2-3 bay leaves

Dry thyme

Olive oil

sheets of filo pastry

melted butter 

1 egg, lightly whisked

sesame seeds

Sauté the garlic, bay leaves, thyme in olive oil until the aromatics are released, being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the onions and sauté until soft.

Add the capsicums and stir.

Add the zucchini and aubergine (eggplants) and stir.  Add the white wine and simmer for 5-8 minutes, just until the vegetables are  just right, not too soft.  Turn off heat and add the tomatoes on top.  Set aside to cool – about 20-30 minutes.

Prepare filo pastry by brushing some melted butter in between the sheets.  Use about 3-4 sheets.  Add a spoonful of the ratatouille on one side of the pastry, and fold the opposite  end in a triangle. Continue folding creating a triangle shape.  

Place on baking trays lined with baking paper.  After finishing your pastries, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Bake in a preheated (200 degree C) oven for 20 minutes or until the top is golden.

Ratatouille - Lesson 2 - Vegetables, Fruits, Eggs and Farinaceous Dishes, Kitchen 10

I love the colours of the ratatouille here.  The shiny stainless bowl reflects the beautiful and colourful mix of the vegetables.  

We're off to the coast for a few days, so I hope you're all enjoying your week and making something new and exciting things when you can.