RECIPE | A taste of France — Nataniël shares his ratatouille tarte Tatin recipe

Last year, brothers Nataniël and Erik le Roux returned to the small screen with a new TV series, Nataniël. Erik. Wolf. which they filmed in Nantes, France.

Nataniël is no stranger to France and is a regular visitor to the city where his brother lives and where they filmed Edik van Nantes, their first cooking show together.

As anyone who knows the actor, comedian and entertainer will tell you, Nataniël is a lover of all things French.

“I have been going to Paris for 30 years and that city contains everything my soul needs,” he says. “The French experience starts as soon as I get onto an Air France flight. There is so much to see and discover. Every time I leave Paris, I am exhausted and it takes me weeks to digest all the information and imagery I take in while I am there.

“French food is some of my favourite in the world and every time I miss Paris, I whip up some French-inspired cuisine at home.”

If you’re eager to whip up some French-inspired cuisine featured in his kitchen and on his TV series, Nataniël shares a recipe for his easy to make ratatouille tarte Tatin. Serve it as a main with salad or enjoy as a side to a jovial lunch or dinner.

NATANIËL’S RATATOUILLE TARTE TATIN 

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

One large onion, chopped

Half a fennel bulb, chopped

Three cloves of garlic, chopped

One red bell pepper, cut in strips

One yellow bell pepper, cut in strips

One large brinjal, cut in rounds with a thickness of 25mm

Two large baby marrows, cut in rounds with a thickness of 25mm

Four tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

Two tablespoons of sugar

20 small tomatoes, halved

One teaspoon of flour

One roll of puff pastry

Salt

Ground black pepper

Olive oil

Fresh basil leaves

Method:

1. Fry the fennel, onion and garlic together over a medium heat until soft and keep to one side.     
2. Grill the brinjal until golden brown on both sides and keep to one side.
3. Grill the baby marrows until golden brown on both sides and keep to one side.
4. Melt the balsamic vinegar and sugar together.
5. Cover the bottom of a 24cm to 28cm round oven dish with the vinegar and sugar mixture.
6. Cover the bottom with baby marrow, brinjal and single tomatoes. Arrange in a pattern of your preference but allow the pieces to overlap.
7. Flavour lightly with salt, pepper and olive oil.
8. Arrange a layer of onion, fennel and garlic on top.
9. Add the red and yellow bell peppers on top as well as single tomatoes in between. Sprinkle with flour, salt, pepper and olive oil.
10. Top up with the rest of the brinjal and baby marrow.
11. Flavour with salt and pepper.
12. Place the pastry over the top and fold the sides closed.
13. Make a small hole in the middle and bake at 180°C for 30 to 40 minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool for 20 minutes.
14. Place on your serving dish and garnish with basil leaves.