Author Adapted by Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original recipe by Food to Glow
Equipment
Medium Saucepan
Small Baking Dish
Ingredients
Sauce:
1tbspolive oil
½yellow onion, diced finely
2ripe Roma tomatoes, deseeded, diced
1½cupspassata**You can use tomato sauce
Pinch of dried basil, to taste
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
¼-½tspgood balsamic vinegar, to taste
Pinch of sugar, to taste
Vegetables:
2large (or 3 small)Roma tomatoes, sliced thinly**Cut all of the veggies the same thickness
1mediumzucchini, sliced thinly**Cut all of the veggies the same thickness
1mediumyellow squash, sliced thinly**Cut all of the veggies the same thickness
½eggplant, sliced thinly**Cut all of the veggies the same thickness (If the eggplant is too big, cut each slice in half and use half-moons)
½orange bell pepper, sliced in thin pieces similar to the other vegetable sizes
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1-2sprigsfresh thyme
1-2bay leaves
Instructions
Make the sauce by heating the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, dried basil, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, and cook stirring frequently for 3 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
Add the passata, balsamic vinegar, and sugar then simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes while you prep the vegetables. After simmering, taste the sauce and re-season to taste, if needed.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a small baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
Ladle the sauce into the baking dish and set aside to cool for a bit.
Layer the vegetables beginning at one end of the baking dish and start alternating the sliced vegetables in a semi-reclining, overlapping pattern. Side Note: The pattern depends on what shape your baking dish is.
Brush the vegetables with olive oil or garlic-infused olive oil, season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, then top with a sprig of fresh thyme and a couple of bay leaves.
Cover loosely with tin foil then place into the oven to bake for 40 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are golden on the edges, cooked through, and tender.
Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Serve with warm crusty bread. Enjoy.