Ratatouille Pie

It is as good as it looks..

There are a few things in life that are harder to top, for taste, value, and pure succulence than pie. For me, a savory pie beats the heck out of a sweet one (there are exceptions to this policy, of course), and this is one of our favorites. As the weather gets colder and more brisk, a pie like this fits the bill perfectly. This recipe is courtesy of our dear friend Marie-Claire’s mother, Nicole Spaulding. Elysabeth was fortunate enough to take two of her classes, the first of which featured this recipe. We got to take a second class on a lovely trip we had in the Newport area of Rhode Island. Needless to say, this recipe is near and dear to us and I hope you enjoy it as well!

As usual, I have a few notes on the recipe. Feel free to make your favorite version of ratatouille for this pie; the one I included I just came up with on a whim. The important part is to cook the stew ahead of time so the flavors have enough time to come together, and make sure to drain it thoroughly before incorporating. You can easily substitute purchased pesto for the pistou, but that may add an extra degree of saltiness and fattiness that you can work around making it yourself. This is a very warming and quite filling pie, the latter of which is hard to remember when enjoying its wonderful flavors. Have fun!

Ratatouille Pie (Serves 6-8):

• 1 deep dish pie crust (frozen is fine)
• 1 qt. ratatouille (see below), made at least 4 hours in advance, liquid drained
• 1/3 c. pistou (see below)
• 5 oz. goat cheese, crumbled coarsely
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 c. light cream

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Add ratatouille and pistou in large mixing bowl, combine thoroughly.
3. In other bowl, lightly beat eggs, stir in mustard, and add cream.
4. Add egg mixture to ratatouille mixture, add goat cheese and stir to combine.
5. Pour mix into pie shell, and bake for 40-45 minutes or until pie is lightly browned on top and mixture is mostly solidified.
6. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy as a side dish, or as a main course alongside a green salad.

Ratatouille:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large white onion, chopped coarsely
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced finely
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, ribbed, and cut into postage stamp-sized pieces
• 1 each summer and zucchini squash, halved and cut into 1/2″ wide half-moons
• 1 medium eggplant, cut lengthwise into eighths and sliced into 1/2″ wide chunks
• 1 large (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions, and stir to coat. Stir occasionally until onions soften somewhat.
2. Add garlic and stir regularly until garlic is fragrant and soft, but not browned.
3. Gradually add bell peppers, squashes, and eggplant, stirring regularly for 5 minutes. Add a couple of healthy pinches of the salt and keep stirring to let the moisture out.
4. Open tomato can, and pull tomatoes apart one-by-one into 3 or 4 pieces and add to mixture. Pour in juices from can and turn heat up to high.
5. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft but still have their shape.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cut heat and let sit for at least an hour for juices to soak in a bit. Set aside after cooling for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. The longer it sits, the better it will taste in the pie.

Pistou (makes about 1/3 cup):

• 1/4 c. fresh basil leaves, stems removed
• small handful pine nuts, toasted
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed lightly with side of knife
• 4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in small frying pan on medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until raw flavor is cooked out.
2. Add basil, garlic (with oil from pan), and pine nuts to food processor. Pulse quicky once or twice just to break down everything to a very coarse texture.
3. Add the rest of olive oil, a pinch of salt and a few twists of the pepper. Pulse a few more times to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.