The classic French Provencal dish, stewed and steamed in tomato and béchamel sauce. Americans know it from the movie we all know well as Ratatouille, but after some quick research and a quick dive into the archives of French cuisine, I realized that this dish is actually called confit byaldi. What separates it from ratatouille is mostly due to the thin cuts of the vegetables and leaving out the usual step of frying the vegetables before throwing it into the oven. But who cares?! Disney called it ratatouille and so will we. I mean, how do you even make it through Ratatouille without imagining what this classic French dish tastes like? The assemblage, simplicity and just the look on food critic Anton Ego's face when he took a bite had me in agony. I had to try it. From slashfilm.com Just look at the tomato béchamel sauce! The pristine cuts! THE PLATING. And what better time to practice your knife skills than during this lovely quarantine we must adhere to? You have no excuse. Let's get cooking friends. Ingredients:
For the Béchamel Sauce:
Directions: Preheat your oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and slice the red potatoes while you wait. Boil the potato slices for 3 minutes, then drain and set aside on a paper towel. Then begin slicing the rest of your vegetables. When it comes to getting your vegetables pristinely thin, you're going to want a mandoline slicer. However, during these dark days of COVID-19, what else do you have to do? I decided to cut mine. But at least make sure your knife is very, very sharp! (I stole one from Dom's German collection.) It took me an hour to cut everything, but it was worth it and I'm a rookie at my knife skills. I must have had Gusteau floating on my right shoulder whispering "Anyone Can Cook" because I aced those cuts. NOW LET'S MAKE THAT BÉCHAMEL SAUCE. Heat up 1 cup of milk in the microwave and set it aside. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a saucepan, then add 1 tbsp of flour and stir together until it looks light brown for 1-2 minutes. Don't let it turn super brown though. Whisk the mixture vigorously while gradually adding the milk, 1/4 cup at a time, to prevent lumps! Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Finally season with a dash of salt, a dash of pepper and a dash of that nutmeg. Set it aside. Grab a casserole dish, and lightly oil the sides (cooking spray will work). Add a cup or two of the tomato sauce, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, thyme and salt to taste. (Don't worry about the uncooked garlic. The sauce and the juices from the vegetables cook any overpowering flavors down!) Drizzle the béchamel sauce over the tomato base and combine together, creating a smooth layer at the bottom of your dish. Now the fun part begins! Layer your veggies in whatever manner you would like, but if you want the classic Disney look, form spiraled columns as pictured below. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and thyme. Then, cover with parchment paper and put it in the oven for 55-60 minutes. You'll see the tomato sauce bubbling up the sides when it close to being done! This is the final result. Bon appètit. "Anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great." - Chef Auguste Gusteau
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