- 2 small eggplants, cut into ½-inch dice (I used two Japanese eggplants)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more to taste
- 2 medium onions, cut into ½-inch dice (I used one red and one yellow onion)
- 4 to 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- ½ bunch basil, tied in a bouquet with kitchen twine + additional basil leaves, torn or chopped
- 1 pinch dried chile flakes (more for spicier, less for milder)
- 2 sweet peppers, cut into ½-inch dice (I used one red and one green pepper)
- 3 medium summer squash, cut into ½-inch dice (I used two zucchini and one cocozelle - AKA Italian zucchini)
- 3 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into ½-inch dice (I used one medium red tomato, one medium orange tomato, and about 8 oz. halved cherry tomatoes)
- Salt, to taste
Toss the eggplant cubes with a teaspoon of salt. Set the cubes in a colander to drain for about 20 minutes.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan. Pat the eggplant dry, add to the pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden. Add a bit more oil if the eggplant absorbs all the oil and sticks to the bottom of the pan. Remove the eggplant when it's golden and set aside.
In the same pot, pour in 2 more tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions and cook for about 7 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, basil bouquet, dried chile flakes, and a bit more salt.
Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir in the peppers. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in the summer squash. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in the tomatoes.
Cook for 10 minutes longer, then return the eggplant to the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until all of the vegetables are soft. Remove the bouquet of basil, pressing on it to extract all its flavors, and adjust the seasoning with salt.
Stir in the chopped basil leaves, more extra virgin olive oil as desired, and garnish the top of the dish with more fresh basil. Serve warm or cold.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: 1 hour