Persian Vegetable Bake 2

Ingredients

• 1eggplant
• 2zucchini
• 2tomatoes
• 80 mlolive oil
• herbs — chopped
• to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. Begin by preparing the vegetables. Slice 1 eggplant and 2 zucchini into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Cut 2 tomatoes into similar-sized slices. Lay the slices on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, sprinkle them with fine sea salt, and let them rest for about 10 minutes. This will draw out excess moisture and reduce bitterness, especially from the eggplant.
2. While the vegetables rest, finely chop a medium onion. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, heat 80 ml of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and soft, without browning. This will create a sweet, aromatic base for the bake.
3. Pat the eggplant and zucchini slices dry with another towel to remove the drawn-out moisture. Layer the eggplant, zucchini, and tomato slices over the softened onions in the pan, arranging them in a slightly overlapping pattern. Drizzle a bit more olive oil over the top and sprinkle with black pepper and your choice of herbs, such as dried mint or oregano, to taste.
4. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Allow the vegetables to cook slowly, steaming in their own juices, until they are tender and the eggplant is soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork. The tomatoes should have released their juices, creating a flavorful sauce at the bottom of the pan.
5. Uncover the pan and increase the heat to medium-high for a few minutes to allow any excess liquid to evaporate, concentrating the flavors. Stir gently to combine the vegetables with the sauce, being careful not to break the slices.
6. Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning with additional fine sea salt and black pepper if needed. Serve the Persian Vegetable Bake warm, directly from the pan, inviting everyone to share from the communal dish as is traditional at Persian home tables.