Ratatouille à la Casablancaise

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/ratatouille_la_casablancaise.html

From EatingWell:  September/October 2008

Ratatouille—a cooked eggplant and tomato dish combined with other seasonal vegetables and olive oil—has many regional variations. This one is made with cinnamon, a signature spice in Moroccan cooking. Try it as an appetizer with bread or as a sandwich filling.

8 servings, about 1/2 cup each | Active Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant, (1 1/4-1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled (see Tip), seeded and diced, or 1 cup drained canned diced tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Place eggplant on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt; let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant, squash and bell pepper. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add tomatoes, garlic, cinnamon, sugar, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes begin to break down, 3 to 5 minutes. Add to the bowl with the eggplant mixture and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature before serving, for the best flavor.

Nutrition

Per serving : 87 Calories; 6 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 5 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 8 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 443 mg Sodium; 342 mg Potassium

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 fat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

• Tip: To peel tomatoes: Make a small X in the bottom of each tomato and plunge into boiling water until the skins are slightly loosened, 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water for 1 minute. Peel with a paring knife, starting at the X.