Ratatouille Hot Pot

You will need a flameproof (that will go on the stove and in the oven) casserole dish with lid. Use one that’s about 25 cm across and a minimum of 10 cm deep.

Heat the oil in the casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, stir for two minutes before adding the courgette/zucchini and peppers/capsicum. Stir over a gentle heat until beginning to soften, about 8 minutes. Add a little bit of the canned tomatoes if it seems a bit dry at any point.

If you’re using dried basil (instead of fresh), add it now.

Add the mushrooms and cook for a further minute. Stir in the can of tomatoes, cover and simmer for ten minutes.

Heat oven to 340 F/170 C/fan 150 C/gas 3-4.

Whilst the pot is cooking, peel and slice the potatoes very thinly. Then place them in a large bowl and pour the cream over them. Season with salt and pepper.

At the end of the ten minutes, remove the lid from the casserole dish and add the fresh basil (if using). Stir it through then remove the potatoes from the cream and layer the potatoes into the dish. Spiral the potatoes out from the center of the dish, on the top of the vegetables.

Pour any remaining cream over the top. Cover with a lid and cook for 40 minutes (to prevent burning and drying out). Remove from oven, remove lid and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes without the lid until golden brown and bubbling at the edges.

Serve as a main dish for two people, or as a side dish for four.