Ratatouile with Sausage and Sweet Potato

Leave the sausage out and you have a perfectly good veggie dish but I found adding it just gave this dish extra oomph!

Ingredients:

2 Italian sausages, sliced

1 onion, sliced

1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 carrot, sliced

1 small eggplant, peeled and diced

4 large mushrooms, sliced thick or quartered

1 sweet red pepper, sliced

1 small yellow zucchini, sliced thick

2 tsps minced garlic

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp dry basil

1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 cup broth (veg, chicken or beef)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

fresh Italian parsley to garnish

In a large skillet brown the sausage and break up as it cooks, then set aside.

In the same pan brown the onion and add the sweet potato, carrot, eggplant and mushrooms. Cook 1-2 minutes then add the tomato paste, broth, canned tomatoes, balsamic, garlic, paprika, basil, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes or until sweet potato and carrots are tender. Now add the red pepper and zucchini slices and cook 3-4 minutes.

Return the sausage to the skillet and heat through.

Serve with fresh parsley

Makes about 6 good servings. And don't forget a nice crusty bread for sopping up the juices!