Roasted ratatouille recipe

Make like the French mouse with this scrumptiously simple ratatouille recipe

Serves 4

Takes 15 minutes to prepare, 35 minutes to cook

• 3 coriander seeds or a pinch of ground coriander
• 1 small onion
• 2 courgettes
• 1 small aubergine
• One and a half sweet peppers
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes

Cooking utensils

• Pestle and mortar
• Chopping board
• Kitchen towel
• Vegetable knife
• Peeler and tablespoon
• Roasting tray
• Wooden spoon
• Silver foil

How to make roasted ratatouille

Big chef: Set the oven to: 350°F, 180°C, 160ºC fan, gas 4.

Little chef: Crush the coriander seeds with the pestle and mortar (or use a pinch of ground coriander).

Big chef: Peel the onion and cut it into six chunks.

Little chef: Wash the courgettes, aubergine and peppers. Pat them dry with kitchen towels.

Big chef: Peel along the length of each courgette to make zebra stripes. (Peel a strip, miss one, peel one, until you have gone all the way round.) Cut the courgettes into 2cm slices.

Big chef: Roughly chop the aubergine into bite-sized pieces.

Big chef: Cut the single pepper in half, remove the seeds and chop this pepper and the remaining half pepper into bite-sized chunks.

Little chef: Put the oil in the roasting tray and add the chopped vegetables, ground coriander and herbs. Add a twist of black pepper and stir well.

Big chef: Put the tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are just soft. Carefully take the tray out of the oven and add the tomatoes. Stir well, cover with foil and return to the oven for 20 minutes.

Tips: Ratatouille is even more delicious when mopped up with simple soda bread.

Always have a grown-up in the kitchen when you cook

© Fiona Bird 2009
Recipe reproduced from 'Kids' Kitchen' by kind permission of Barefoot Books Ltd
To order 'Kids' Kitchen' visit www.barefootbooks.co.uk