A traditional French vegetable stew from Nice, typically made with eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and herbs de Provence.
From Occitan 'ratatolha' and Catalan 'samfaina,' related to the verb 'touiller' meaning 'to stir.' The dish originated as peasant food in Nice and the surrounding Provence region, using whatever vegetables were abundant in summer gardens.
Ratatouille was originally a humble way for poor farmers to use up overripe vegetables, but it became so beloved that it's now considered a symbol of refined French country cooking! The dish can be rustic and chunky or elegant and precisely arranged, but traditionalists insist each vegetable should be cooked separately before combining.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.