Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 15 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp dried herbes de Provence
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 2 thin Italian eggplants
  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 2 medium yellow squash
  • 7 medium Roma tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large oven safe skillet, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the diced yellow onion, garlic, and red bell pepper until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. This takes about 5 minutes. Stir in the 15 oz crushed tomatoes, herbes de Provence, salt, and black pepper. Let it simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Note: Reducing the sauce now prevents the final dish from being soupy.
  2. While the sauce simmers, use your mandoline to slice the 2 Italian eggplants, 2 zucchini, and 2 yellow squash into thin rounds. Slice the 7 Roma tomatoes with a sharp serrated knife. Ensure all slices are roughly the same thickness for even cooking.
  3. Remove the skillet from heat and smooth the sauce into an even layer. Begin arranging the vegetable slices in a concentric circle, alternating eggplant, zucchini, squash, and tomato. Overlap them tightly to ensure they stand upright. Start from the outer edge and work your way to the center.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tbsp olive oil, fresh thyme, minced rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle this mixture evenly over the vegetables. Cover the dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside the rim. Bake for 40 minutes until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.
  5. Remove the parchment paper and bake for another 10 minutes. This is where the magic happens — you’re looking for the edges of the vegetables to shatter slightly and the sauce to bubble vigorously around the edges. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to settle.