The Secret to the Best Spanish Ratatouille | Pisto Manchego Recipe

Heat a large deep frying pan or stock pot over low medium heat.

Add 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil and let it heat for about 5 minutes until mildly hot but not smoking.

Roughly chop 1 large onion and remove 1 to 2 outer layers for easier chopping.

Thinly slice 4 cloves of garlic.

Add the chopped onion and sliced garlic to the heated olive oil, mixing them to coat with the oil.

Cook the onion and garlic for about 10 minutes until the onion is translucent, stirring every 1 to 2 minutes.

Roughly chop 1 green bell pepper and 1 red bell pepper, cutting around the seeds.

Add the chopped bell peppers to the pan and mix to coat with the olive oil, cooking for another 10 minutes until tender, stirring every 1 to 2 minutes.

Cut 1 zucchini into half-inch thick rounds, then stack and cut into medium-sized cubes.

Finely grate 4 fresh tomatoes into a bowl to yield 1.5 cups of tomato sauce (340 grams).

Add the zucchini to the pan and mix, cooking for about 5 minutes until the zucchini is translucent, stirring occasionally.

Add the 1.5 cups of tomato sauce to the pan, along with sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a kiss of granulated sugar to cut the acidity.

Mix everything together and add 1 bay leaf.

Simmer the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes without stirring to allow flavors to develop and the sauce to thicken.

After 15 minutes, check the thickness of the sauce; it should be thickened up after a total cooking time of 45 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and transfer some of the pisto to a serving dish.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: