Baked Ratatouille Boats

Name: Baked Ratatouille Boats
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings.
Cuisine: Comfort Food Recipes, Comfort Food Side Dishes, Comfort Food Vegetarian Recipes
Ingredients: 2 cups cubed eggplant; 1 medium zucchini, chopped; 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided; 1 small onion, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 4 teaspoons olive oil; 2 large tomatoes, chopped; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 4 medium green peppers; 4 ounces reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese or part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into 8 pieces; 2 teaspoons minced fresh marjoram or 3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram; 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce; TOPPING:; 3 tablespoons panko (Japanese) bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

“Using only vegetables for the filling instead of rice cuts down on starch. I like the crispiness of the panko, but you can leave it out.” Rosalind Pope - Greensboro, North Carolina

Ingredients

2 cups cubed eggplant
1 medium zucchini, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 medium green peppers
4 ounces reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese or part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into 8 pieces
2 teaspoons minced fresh marjoram or 3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
TOPPING:
3 tablespoons panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Place eggplant and zucchini in a large bowl; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water; drain and pat dry.
In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add eggplant mixture, tomatoes, pepper and remaining salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, cut green peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Place about 3 tablespoons eggplant mixture in each pepper half; top with a piece of cheese and sprinkle with marjoram. Top with tomato sauce and remaining eggplant mixture.
Cover and bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until peppers are tender. Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over peppers. Bake, uncovered, 3-5 minutes longer or until topping is golden brown.

Nutrition Facts

1 each: 128 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 11mg cholesterol, 430mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 6g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1/2 fat.

Originally published as Baked Ratatouille Boats with Crispy Panko Topping in Healthy Cooking April/May 2009

Reviews

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Average Rating:

jerie beth

Jun 6, 2010

Very good idea, particularly for the summer when fresh ingredients are inexpensive. "Very filling," with few calories for those watching weight. Slightly more time consuming, but tastes even better when made ahead. I also thought it would benefit from additional spices, added a commercially available combo with paprika, etc
JGalindo

Apr 13, 2010

These peppers taste great and make you feel like you are really doing something good for your body with all of the veggie goodness they pack in. However, I feel like the filling could have a more complex flavor. Even after adding a splash of merlot when the filling was simmering (very nice, worth a try) I still felt a little something was missing. I will experiment with the spices and amounts in the future, as I will definitely be making these again.
ak47gramma

Apr 10, 2010

I love eggplant, but not all the family does. But they all liked this dish, it's the best!! Thanks
tkarinas

Apr 9, 2010

Baked ratatouille boats is a simple, easy meal that makes my family very happy to eat. They love it and we make it whenever we feel like eating it. It's a keeper and going in my recipe box.
peanie2

Apr 9, 2010

very good, I used yellow peppers instead.
sallysteele

Apr 9, 2010

Fantastic recipe! Personally, I don't like the taste of green bell peppers, so I used yellow and red ones instead. Makes a lovely vegetarian main dish or a hearty side dish.