Strudel with Oka Cheese and Ratatouille

[Strudel with Oka Cheese and Ratatouille]

Say it again... 

Ratatatatatatouille.

What is it?

"A vegetable stew typical of Provençal cookery, originally from Nice, which is found all over south-east France and is popular abroad.  The word derived from the french touiller (to mix or stir).

" A ratatouille from Nice (ratatouille niçoise) is made from onions, courgettes (zucchini), aubergines (eggplant), sweet (bell) peppers and tomatoes simmered in olive oil with herbs."  (Larousse Gastronomique)

If only I could bottle and market the aroma of herb studded vegetables sautéing in a bath of olive oil.  A third only to baking chocolate and a sizzle of butter and white wine, it must be one of the most desired kitchen perfumes. 

Ratatouille is most commonly a savory compliment, leaving this star affection to compete with the predominant main course. 

I say, let's it's talents shine, using other nicely matched ingredients to pose as the balance for once.

The ingredients in this dish, fuse together to produce a harmonious composition, satisfying, toothsome, matchless.

Strudel with Oka Cheese and Ratatouille

[Adapted from Jean Soulard, Executive chef, Le Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City]

1 small eggplant, diced finely
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red and 1 yellow pepper, seeds removed and cut into strips
2 zucchini, diced
A big pinch of dried herbs (I used oregano and basil)
2 tbsp. pine nuts
2 tbsp. raisins
8 sheets of phyllo dough, 18 cm X 30 cm
4 tbsp. melted butter
4 oz. Quebec Oka
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:
Place diced eggplant in a colander, sprinkle abundantly with salt, then stir.  Let liquid drip out for 20 minutes.  Rinse, then dry with paper towels.
In a large frying pan, heat oil and sauté onion, garlic, bell peppers and eggplant 10 minutes.
Add zucchini and herbs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook 5 more minutes, let cool at room temperature then mix in pine nuts and raisins.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Brush two sheets of phyllo dough with melted butter.  Place them on a wrol surface so that they overlap by 5 cm, making a rectangle.  Butter and then overlap all the other sheets in the same manner (reserve a little butter).  Spread vegetables evenly over the long side of the rectangle.  Add cubes of Oka cheese to vegetables.
Roll dough into a sausage shape.  Place on a greased pastry sheet and shape into a horseshoe.  Brush with remaining butter, then bake in oven for 30 minutes, or until nicely golden.  Let cool for 10 minutes and cut into slices.  Serve with green salad.  Serves 6

Comments

[jasmine]

mmm-mmmm...

I love your cheese series...the only problem is I get so hungry reading the posts and recipes and looking at the pictures.

:)

mmm-mmmm....

j