Ratatouille Knife Skills Lab Plan
Culinary Arts Lab Mise En Place & Knife Skills
Ratatouille Lab Plan
Total: 30 Points Kitchen Station
Student:
Period:
Kitchen #:
Group Member(s):
1. Recipe Overview & Lab Objectives
Recipe Name: Ratatouille
This lab will be focusing on demonstrating knife cuts in preparation for the “Ratatouille” dish. Each student will be responsible for one item to cut. * Note: Sauce ingredients will be prepared for you.
2. Ingredient Breakdown 4 Points
Record cut details & assign one student per vegetable
| Ingredient | Prep Details (Specific Cut) | Qty. | Student Responsible |
|---|
| Roma Tomatoes | | | |
| Zucchini | | | |
| Yellow Squash | | | |
| Onion | | | |
3. Equipment Needed 2 Points
List all tools & equipment your group will need
4. Kitchen & Food Safety Check 6 Points (1 pt each)
Mandatory Safety Review
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Guiding Hand: Describe the "claw grip" hand position when slicing rondelles and why it protects fingertips.
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Board Stabilization: What must you place under your cutting board before cutting to prevent slipping?
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Knife Transport: When walking with a chef's knife, how must it be carried and what verbal callout is given?
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Sink Safety: Why should a knife NEVER be placed in a sink of soapy water, and how is it washed properly?
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Cross-Contamination: What sanitation steps are taken between peeling raw onion and slicing fresh squash?
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Oven Safety: What protective gear is required when loading/removing the hot casserole dish from the 375°F oven?
Complete Safety Check & Planning Sections before instructor clears knife pickup. Page 1 of 2 • (12 Points Possible)
4. Recipe Annotation 10 Points Total
Review your recipe details and fill in the exact preparation specifications below.
Page 2: 18 Pts
Sauce Ingredients 3 Pts
The base of the sauce is can diced tomatoes (drained).
You will use tablespoon(s) of olive oil in the sauce.
The vinegar used in this recipe is .
The seasoning blend added for flavor is .
One clove of should be minced before blending.
The recipe calls for teaspoons of dried basil.
Sea salt is added to .
Vegetable Ingredients 3 Pts
You will need 1 ½ medium , cut into ⅛ inch rondelles.
The recipe includes medium zucchini, cut into ⅛ inch rondelles.
Yellow squash cut into ⅛″ rondelles and then into .
The onion should be .
Vegetables seasoned with ⅛ tsp sea salt & ⅛ tsp .
The vegetables are drizzled with tablespoon of olive oil.
Preparation / Cooking 4 Pts
After blending, sauce placed in dish, covered with , labeled Period , Kitchen .
Oven should be preheated to degrees Fahrenheit.
When called upon, each student cuts assigned from planning sheet.
Spread the in a thin layer in casserole dish.
Vegetables arranged in a , alternating them.
Drizzle top with and sprinkle sea salt & black pepper.
Bake for to minutes, until veggies are tender and sauce is bubbly at the edges.
5. General Preparation of this Recipe 8 Points (2 pts each)
Answer using complete culinary sentences
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Pre-Prep & Workstation Setup: Why must the oven be preheated to 375°F and the canned diced tomatoes drained before assembling the ingredients and beginning your knife cuts?
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Sauce Management: Explain why the blended sauce is held covered with plastic wrap and clearly labeled with Period and Kitchen Number while students complete their vegetable cuts.
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Dish Layering & Shingling: Describe the proper technique for arranging the alternating vegetables over the thin layer of sauce in the casserole dish. Why are they packed upright rather than tossed flat?
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Finishing & Baking Doneness: What two items are drizzled and sprinkled over the vegetables immediately before baking, and what visual cues tell you the dish is done after 35–45 minutes?
Station Inspection & Clearance Mise en place verified, knife safety confirmed, workstation sanitized
Chef Initials:
Lab Score: / 30 pts
Culinary Arts • Culinary Techniques & Knife Skills Lab Page 2 of 2 • Total Score: ____ / 30
Ratatouille Kitchen Recipe Sheet
Kitchen Master Recipe Classical French Cuisine
Traditional Baked Ratatouille
Casserole Dish: 8×8 or 9-inch round
Origin: Provence, France
Prep Time 20 Minutes
Cook Time 35–45 Mins
Oven Temp 375°F (190°C)
Yield 2–4 Servings
A. Ratatouille Sauce
Station Prep
- 1 can (7.25 oz) Diced tomatoes (thoroughly drained)
- ½ tbsp Olive oil
- ½ tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 clove Garlic (minced before blending)
- 2 tsp Dried basil
- ⅛ tsp Sea salt (to taste)
B. Ratatouille Vegetables
Student Knife Skills
- 1 ½ medium Roma tomatoes (cut into ⅛ inch rondelles)
- 1 medium Zucchini (cut into ⅛ inch rondelles)
- 1 Yellow squash (cut into ⅛″ rondelles, then cut into quarters)
- ½ small Onion (thinly sliced)
- ½ tbsp Olive oil (drizzled over vegetables)
- ⅛ tsp Sea salt & ⅛ tsp black pepper
Kitchen Preparation & Baking Procedures
Follow professional kitchen sequence
1
Preheat & Station Setup: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Sanitize workstations, damp-towel stabilize cutting boards, and rinse all fresh produce thoroughly.
2
Sauce Blend & Hold: In a blender, combine drained 7.25 oz diced tomatoes, ½ tbsp olive oil, ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar, ½ tsp Italian seasoning, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tsp dried basil, and ⅛ tsp sea salt. Blend until smooth. Pour into a holding dish, cover with plastic wrap, and label with your Period and Kitchen Number.
3
Knife Cuts Assignment: When called upon, each student cuts their assigned vegetable using chef knife claw grip: slice Roma tomatoes and zucchini into uniform ⅛-inch rondelles; slice yellow squash into ⅛-inch rondelles and then cut those rondelles into quarters; thinly slice the ½ onion.
4
Layering & Shingling: Spread the blended sauce in a thin, even layer across the bottom of the casserole dish. Arrange sliced vegetables in a tight alternating pattern (tomato, zucchini, yellow squash quarters, onion), shingling them upright across the dish.
5
Season & Bake: Drizzle the top with ½ tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with ⅛ tsp sea salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until vegetables are tender and sauce is actively bubbling at the edges.
Chef's Technique Note • Knife Cut Consistency
Yellow squash is naturally broader than zucchini, which is why cutting its ⅛-inch rondelles into quarters balances surface area and guarantees that squash, zucchini, and tomato pieces roast at the identical speed! Balsamic vinegar adds sweet acidity that caramelizes naturally with the tomatoes.
Culinary Arts Kitchen Reference • Classical Knife Skills Unit Station Copy • Please Do Not Discard
