Party Princess – September 2008

I’ll admit that I was disappointed that my very first challenge as a Daring Baker was not a sweet treat, but trying new things is part of the fun of joining. A gardening friend has been sharing her bounty of eggplant with me, so I knew that I’d make ratatouille to serve with the crackers.

I had to ask the stock boy where to find the yeast, not a good omen, but I had no trouble making the dough. I’ve had such good success rolling piecrust in a plastic zippered gizmo, that I decided to try rolling the cracker dough in it as well. I divided the dough in half and rolled two circles, sprinkled them with salt, basil and sesame seeds and cut them in wedges with a pizza cutter. I substituted non-stick foil for the parchment and baked them for about 15 minutes.

The final results weren’t as evenly browned as I would’ve liked; I guess the dough was not an even thickness. They tasted okay, especially topped with the ratatouille, but I don’t think I’ll make them again. They were a lot of bother for mediocre results. I’m looking forward to next month’s challenge!

Ratatouille (E. Casey Lunny)

1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large eggplant, diced
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 medium zucchini, diced in large chunks
herbs to taste
olive oil to sauté onion/garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
• Saute the onion and garlic until tender
• Add eggplant and tomatoes, bring to simmer
• Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes
• Add zucchini
• Simmer for 10-15 more minutes, until vegetables are suitably soft
• Remove from heat
• Stir in herbs, season to taste

- Lynn