Ratatouille with baked eggs

A breakfast version of the classic French stew, complete with basil and goat's cheese and served with crusty bread.

Credit: Let's Brunch

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 red capsicum, seeded and diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large eggplant, finely diced
• ½ tsp red chilli flakes
• 2 cups (470 ml) finely diced Roma tomatoes
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups (470 ml) pasta sauce
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup (120 ml) crumbled goat cheese
• ¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh basil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 baguette, warmed, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175ºC (350ºF).

2. Heat oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, zucchini, and capsicum and cook until soft and slightly charred. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add eggplant and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in red chilli flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add Roma tomatoes, then stir in balsamic vinegar and tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 8-10 minutes over medium-low heat.

3. Use a large spoon to make 4 separate wells in the ratatouille. Carefully crack an egg into each well. Sprinkle goat cheese evenly over ratatouille. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the whites of the eggs are set, but the yolks are still runny.

4. Garnish with basil and freshly ground pepper and serve with hunks of baguette.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.