Airy choux pastry flavoured with cheese is used for gougeres. Here this French delicacy from Burgundy is made into a ring to hold a colourful ratatouille.
ingredients
serves 4
For the gougere:
1/4 pint water
1/4 cup polyunsaturated margarine
3/8 cup mixed plain white and whole wheat flour, or all whole wheat flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese
For the ratatouille:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
1 medium eggplant, trimmed and chopped
2 zucchinis, trimmed and sliced
1/2 green pepper, de-seeded and chopped
1/2 red pepper, de-seeded and chopped
1 pound firm red tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 level teaspoon dried basil
Freshly ground black pepper
Basil or oregano sprigs to garnish
method
OVEN: Preheat to 220°C (425°F)
1. Put the water and margarine into a saucepan and bring to the boil slowly, so that the margarine melts before the water boils. Take the pan off the heat and quickly tip in all the flour. Beat well with a wooden spoon until the paste forms a ball that rolls cleanly round the pan. Leave for 5 minutes.
2. Gradually beat the eggs into the cooled paste, using a hand-held electric mixer or a wooden spoon, then beat in three-quarters of the Gruyere. Place spoonfuls of the mixture touching one another in a ring inside the rim of an ovenproof dish 9 inch (23 cm) in diameter. Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere. Bake in the heated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190°C (37S°F, gas mark 5) and cook for a further 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the ratatouille. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion in it over a moderate heat for 5 minutes. Mix in the eggplant, zucchinis, green and red peppers, tomatoes, tomato puree and dried basil, and season with pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until tender.
4. Fill the centre of the ring with ratatouille and garnish with basil or oregano sprigs.
more information
A simple leafy salad is all that is needed with the puffy ring and moist filling.
