Bosnian Ratatouille
Bosnian ratatouille (đuveč) is a rich vegetarian dinner dish. (Meat lover? Add grilled chicken or beef on the side.) Let this one simmer for a while… then dip in, not with utensils but with bread.
Vegetables are well represented in sauces and stews in Bosnian cuisine, and this dish is no exception. It welcomes whatever you give it: onion, garlic, carrot, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes… and the combo stews until veggies are, in Jamie Oliver’s words, “reduced, sticky and sweet.”
(I skip potatoes. As bland as they are when cooked, they take over and the stew becomes something else.)
The dish is called djuvech (đuveč). I like to call it Bosnian ratatouille.
There are several ways of making Bosnian ratatouille. Usually it involves sautéing and simmering several vegetables on low over long time and (in some cases) throwing it in the oven for a final touch. (French versions almost always involve baking at the end.)
Today’s version of ratatouille involves no baking.
Bosnian Ratatouille Tips
Mise en place.If you’re like me, you’re peeling, dicing and throwing food into the saucepan as the ingredients become needed. Being organized will serve you well with ratatouille. It wasn’t until I started filming recipes that I learned just how helpful it is to prepare everything ahead of time. Take a few minutes in the beginning so the process can be smooth.
Meat lovers.You’re welcome to add meat to ratatouille. But meat does overtake the taste to an extent. It’s better to grill chicken or beef on the side and add it in later.
Side or no side? Ratatouille is perfect by itself, with a nice slice of fresh homemade bread (I know… this has become my motto). But good sides include rice and polenta. Don’t do pasta. This isn’t a sauce that sticks to pasta. You’ll end up with a heap of spaghetti sitting on top of sauce instead of the other way around.
Loving this vegetarian option. Any others?Yes. While the cuisine admittedly is meat centric, there are plenty of vegetarian delicacies. Have you tried our sweet roasted red peppers in white sauce, crustless spinach pieor the hash brown pie?
Prijatno!
Bosnian Ratatouille
Prep Time: 10 mins- Cook Time: 70 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Main Course
Description
Bosnian Ratatouille (đuveč) is a rich vegetarian dinner dish. Meat lovers are welcome to add grilled chicken or beef on the side. Let this one simmer for a while and then dip in, not with utensils but with bread.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1–2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion (large, peeled, diced)
- 2 carrots (medium, peeled, diced)
- 1–2 garlic cloves (peeled, minced)
- 2–3 tomatoes (medium, peeled, crushed)
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1–2 bay leaves
- 2–3 cups of water
- 2 yellow bell peppers (cored, diced)
- 2 red bell peppers (cored, diced)
- 1 eggplant (large, peeled, diced)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon parsley (fresh, minced)
Instructions
- In a large, deep pan (or shallow pot) heat oil and butter over medium high. Add onion and carrots and sauté until translucent.
- Add garlic, tomatoes, paprika, sugar and bay leaves. Sauté 5 to 10 minutes, then add water. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Add bell peppers, eggplant, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Cover (4/5ths of the way) and simmer on low for 40-50 minutes. (If a lot of ratatouille evaporates add a little more water.)
- Take the bay leaves out, garnish with parsley. Serve over rice, polenta or by itself.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2-3 laddles
- Calories: 233
- Sugar: 15.7g
- Sodium: 74mg
- Fat: 13.5g
- Saturated Fat: 4.6g
- Carbohydrates: 27.1g
- Fiber: 8.9g
- Protein: 4.1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg