zucchini or summer squash, sliced
eggplant, sliced
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, cut into wedges
3 medium carrots, cut into one-inch pieces
2 sweet red peppers, seeded and cut into large chunks
1 large handful green beans, trimmed and cut into one-inch lengths
1/2 cup oil-cured pitted black olives
1/2 cup (tightly packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup (tightly packed) fresh marjoram leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks

 Spread zucchini and/or summer squash and eggplant slices on several layers of paper towels.  Sprinkle with salt and cover with more layers of paper towels.  Put a cookie sheet or wooden cutting board on top of them and weight with cans or whatever heavy objects you have.  Let sit for thirty minutes.

Combine remaining vegetables and herbs, except for the tomatoes and garlic and the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, in a large bowl and mix gently to blend the oil into the vegetables.  Let sit at room temperature for thirty minutes, and then combine the eggplant/squash mixture with the remaining vegetables.

Preheat the oven to 450°, placing a large roasting pan in the oven while it's heating.  When the oven reaches 450° take the pan out and sprinkle another Tablespoon of olive oil in it.  Pour the vegetable mixture into the hot pan and return it to the oven for 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally for even browning.

Add the tomatoes and sliced garlic to the rest of the vegetables and bake for another 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with plenty of ground black pepper, garnish with fresh herbs.

(Recipe is adapted from Lynn Rossetto Kasper's book, The Italian Country Table.)