Step 1 of 8
Salt the eggplant cubes in a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse, pat dry.
Step 2 of 8
In a wide heavy pot, sweat the onions in 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-low heat 12 minutes until soft and translucent — no colour. Add garlic, cook 90 seconds. Lift out and reserve.
Step 3 of 8
Add 3 tbsp olive oil. Brown the peppers hard, 6 minutes, until charred at the edges. Reserve.
Step 4 of 8
Another 3 tbsp oil. Brown the zucchini, 5 minutes per side. Reserve.
Step 5 of 8
Another 4 tbsp oil. Brown the eggplant in two batches, 8 minutes each — eggplant drinks oil; add more if the pan goes dry. The cubes should be deep golden, almost collapsing. Reserve.
Step 6 of 8
In the same pot, add tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, 1 tsp salt. Simmer 15 minutes until reduced and jammy.
Step 7 of 8
Fold all the reserved vegetables back into the tomato base. Simmer over the lowest heat for 25 minutes, stirring gently every few minutes.
Step 8 of 8
Off heat. Pull out the herb sprigs. Tear in basil leaves. Taste, adjust salt and pepper. Drizzle a final spoonful of raw olive oil over the top.
Ingredients 13
the vegetables
- 2 medium eggplants, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 3 medium zucchini, cut into 2 cm rounds
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 3 cm strips
the base
- 2 large yellow onions, halved and sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 8 ripe plum tomatoes, blanched-peeled and roughly chopped (or 1 × 400 g tin good plum tomatoes)
the cook
- 150 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt to taste
- Black pepper, freshly cracked
the herbs
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
the finish
- Small bunch basil, leaves torn at the end