Ingredients

Serves 4 as a main meal/ 278 cals per portion Serves 6 as a side dish/ 192 cals per portion

• 100ml good quality olive oil
• 500g aubergine, cut into 2.5-3cm chunks
• 250 ml of water (as required)
• 1 heaped tablespoon of paprika (pimiento dulce)
• 4 cloves of garlic crushed
• dash of Tabasco
• 350g courgettes cut into 2.5cm slices
• 1 red pepper, cut into 5cm squares
• ½ yellow pepper, cut into 5cm squares
• ½ green pepper, cut into 5cm squares
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Gently heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the aubergine and sauté for 10 minutes, adding a little of the water if the aubergine begins to stick to the pan.
2. Add the paprika, crushed garlic and Tabasco. Then add the courgettes and sauté until they soften and the aubergine starts to dissolve in parts to form the basis of a sauce.
3. Continue to simmer gently for 10 minutes, covering with a lid but stirring at regular intervals.
4. Finally add the chunks of pepper and a little more of the water if necessary, continue to sauté the vegetables for about 6 minutes over a high heat until the peppers have just began to soften but retain their colour.
5. The sauce should be thick and red from the paprika, so add water only to loosen the juices at the bottom of the pan and to make a paste with the slowly dissolving aubergine. Some of the aubergine must, remain intact.

Ratatouille is so much better when the flavours have been allowed to develop. I made mine on a Sunday morning and reheated it on Monday night. I served it with baked potatoes. Healthy, and so pretty with all the colours, but above all damn delicious!!