Baked Ratatouille

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3 large potatoes or 3 large red potatoes
• 1/2 medium brown onion
• 2 -3 large carrots, peeled
• 1 large rutabaga, peeled
• 2 large zucchini
• 12 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and stemmed
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes or 6 roma tomatoes
• 1 lb thin cut beef (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon beef bouillon powder
• 8 ounces water
• 2 tablespoons pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed basil
• 1 bay leaf

Recipe

• 1 slice potatoes, zucchini and bell pepper 1/4 inch thick.
• 2 slice carrots, tomato and rutabaga 1/8 inch thick.
• 3 slice onion as thin as you can, maintaining shape.
• 4 if you are using beef, cut into strips about 1-1 1/2 inch wide, about 2 inches long, and no thicker than 1/4 inch.
• 5 the layering will go in two parts, so only use half the veggies at a time.
• 6 layer potato, carrot, onion, bell pepper.
• 7 then the rutabaga, pepper the rutabaga with about 1 tsp of the pepper.
• 8 then layer the zucchini, mushrooms, beef and tomato.
• 9 gently salt the tomato with 1/2 tsp salt.
• 10 repeat steps 6 to 9.
• 11 in a separate medium saucepan gently heat the tomato sauce, water, bouillon, bay leaf, basil, onion powder, 1 tbsp pepper and garlic until it begins to boil.
• 12 turn it off and remove the bay leaf, don't burn your fingers!
• 13 gently pour over the veggies, distributing evenly.
• 14 cover and bake 1 hour 15 minutes at 350 degrees f.
• 15 after 45 minutes lift lid and gently push down with back of spoon. replace lid and continue baking.
• 16 to test for done-ness insert butter knife in center, you should meet very little resistance. if you feel it is not done, bake another 15 minutes.
• 17 spoon out into bowls and enjoy!