Baked Ratatouille Gratin

In Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julia Child asserts that, "A really good ratatouille is not one of the quicker dishes to make..."  Whether Julia would consider this version to be a "really good ratatouille" concerns me not.  We love it and it is not only quick to make, but rather simple as well.  We serve it with pasta and a nice crusty loaf of bread.  I'll give Julia's version a try someday, when I have more time.

2 tsp. Olive Oil

5 cloves Garlic, peeled

2 Zucchini halved lengthwise and cut into ½ inch thick slices.

2 Yellow Squash halved lengthwise and cut into ½ inch thick slices.

1 large Onion, cut into ½ inch chunks

¾ lb. Eggplant, cut into ½ inch chunks

Two 8 oz. cans Tomato Juice

Two 14 ½ oz. can Stewed Tomatoes

1 tsp. Dried Oregano

¾ tsp. Salt

1/3 C plain dried Bread Crumbs

½ C shredded Mozzarella (or Parmesan, my preference)

3 Tbsp. chopped Fresh Parsley

Preheat oven to 450.  In a 13 x 9 inch dish, combine the oil and garlic.  Bake for 5 minutes, or until the garlic oil is fragrant and hot.  Stir in the zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and eggplant, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

Uncover and stir in the tomato sauce, tomatoes and their juices, the oregano and salt and bake for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly.

Sprinkle the bread crumbs and cheese on top and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the gratin is piping hot and the top is lightly browned.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

You can prepare this up to 1 day ahead through the second baking- before adding the bread crumbs.  Bring the gratin to room temperature and proceed with step 3.