Ratatouille Spirals
- 3 pounds beefsteak tomatoes, scored with an X on the bottoms
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Kosher salt
- 2 cups cubed country bread
- 2 1/2 pounds firm medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick strips
- 2 1/2 pounds small eggplant, preferably Japanese, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick strips
- 3 roasted red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 18 oil-packed anchovies, cut into thin strips
- 3/4 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 2-by- 1/2-inch sticks
- In a medium pot of boiling water, blanch the tomatoes for 30 seconds; drain.
- Slip off the skins and halve the tomatoes crosswise.
- Coarsely chop the tomatoes, keeping the juices and seeds.
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil.
- Add the garlic and crushed pepper and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes and juices and season lightly with salt.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, on a baking sheet, toss the bread with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Toast for about 15 minutes, stirring once, until golden.
- In 2 separate colanders, toss the zucchini and eggplant with 1 tablespoon of salt each and let drain for 15 minutes.
- Shake out the excess liquid and pat the slices dry.
- Spoon the tomato sauce into a shallow 2 1/2-quart baking dish and scatter the bread cubes on top.
- On a work surface, top each zucchini slice with a slice of eggplant; blot dry if necessary.
- Place a strip of roasted pepper and anchovy and a stick of mozzarella at one end of each stack and roll up.
- Stand the rolls in the baking dish and brush with oil.
- Cover with parchment paper.
- Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender and the ratatouille is bubbling; remove the parchment halfway through baking.
- Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
beefsteak tomatoes, extravirgin olive oil, garlic, red pepper, kosher salt, country bread, zucchini, eggplant, red bell peppers, oil, mozzarella
Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/ratatouille-spirals (may not work)