Vegetarian Fall/Winter Ratatouille

This recipe required roasted butternut squash and sweet potato before you start

Serves 4

Ingredients

Olive oil

5 sprigs of fresh thyme

Either use 1 pound of precut cubed or whole

instructions to cube whole butter nut squash-See notes below

1/2 pound of cubed roasted butternut squash (place squash cubes on sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper add 3 sprigs of thyme) roast for 25-30 minutes ( turn squash half way through) until squash is tender.See notes below

1 roasted sweet potato in 1/2” cubes (peel and cut sweet potato into 1/2”cubes on sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well.

Arrange sweet potato and roast for 25-30 minutes ( turn sweet potatoes half way through) until sweet potato is tender.

1 shallot

6 cloves of garlic

1 can 28 oz can of crushed Italian tomatoes

1 green zucchini Sliced in 3/4”” thick chunks

1 yellow zucchini 3/4” thick chunks

15 leaves of basil torn

3 T aged balsamic

1 15 oz can of either white beans or Garbanzo beans

Optional: To add a 1/2 cup of either fresh or frozen peas

Notes-Prep for Butternut squash

First peel the squash. You can use a peeler, or use a sharp knife to peel, then cut the bulb into wedges and and peel.

Place the squash on its side and cut through it crosswise just above the bulb.

portion where it meets the neck

Cut the neck into rounds

Place the rounds flat side down and cut each into cubes

Remove seeds from the bulbous sections with a spoon then place the bulbous part flat down and cut

it in half vertically.

Lay one half of the side you just cut and slice it, them repeat with the other half

Place the slices flat side down and cut them into pieces

Place the squash on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well.

Arrange squash and roast for 25-30 minutes ( turn squash half way through) until squash is tender.

Instructions

For Butternut squash and sweet potatoes

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F

Heat 3 Tablespoons of olive in 5 quart pot over medium heat

Add shallots, garlic and sautéed until softened.

Add can of tomatoes and simmer

Add Zucchini and cook for 5 minutes

Add roasted butternut squash, and roasted sweet potato.

Add salt and pepper to taste

Add 3 Tablespoons of aged balsamic vinegar

Add 1 can of either garbanzo beans or white beans

Optional to add a 1/2 cup of shelled fresh peas or frozen peas

Cook a few minutes until warm

Finish with torn basil and serve