Ratatouille

Ratatouille isn't just a cute cartoon about a friendly rat; it's also one of France's most famous dishes. The dish, which hails from Provence, involves shallow-frying vegetables before layering them in a casserole dish and baking them in the oven.

For centuries, French chefs have debated whether the vegetables should be cooked first, but the results are delicious no matter how you prepare them. This traditional peasant dish is delicious with red wine and crusty bread as a side dish, appetizer, or main course. Pipérade is a similar Basque dish that typically includes ham and eggs in the stewed vegetable mix.

Ratatouilli is a stewed vegetable dish from the French Provençal region of Nice, also known as ratatouille niçoise. Tomato, garlic, onion, courgette (zucchini), aubergine (eggplant), capsicum (bell pepper), and some combination of leafy green herbs native to the region are common ingredients in recipes and cooking times.