I’ve been leaning vegetarian for my dinners lately, mostly because they’re filling and I’m left with a feeling of “healthfulness.”  This week I decided to make a roasted ratatouille dish that I love, but modified it a bit so that it ended up being a mix between a Shakshuka recipe that I love and a roasted ratatouille recipe that I love.

This tastes delicious in leftovers, as well, and whenever it needs a bit of pizzazz, I just add an egg on it.

To be honest, I would probably add a fried egg to anything — to the point that I’m just waiting for someone to parody the excellent “Portlandia” episode of “Put a Bird on It” to just “Put an Egg on It.”

This recipe with the roasted veggies and the egg make for a very hearty and rustic dinner. Serve with crusty bread (or not, tasted fine without it too!)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika, smoked or sweet
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1, 28 oz box of diced or crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon red wine or cider vinegar
• 2-4 eggs
• 4 bell peppers, red and yellow
• 4 small zucchini, green and yellow
• 4 long Asian eggplants, Japanese and Taiwanese
• 12 cippolini onions
• 6 large tomatoes, seeded and diced

Directions

1. Turn oven on broil.  Place peppers on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil peppers 5 minutes per side until black and blistered.  Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for a few minutes to allow steam to loosen skins. Remove skins by rubbing peppers with paper towels. Remove stem and seeds. Chop peppers and add to a large bowl.
2. Turn oven down to 450 degrees F.
3. Cut zucchini into thick rounds and toss with a good drizzling of oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, flipping halfway through, until golden, about 12 minutes. Repeat with eggplant and cippolini onions. Add both vegetables to the bowl with roasted peppers. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Warm a few tablespoons of oil in a sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes.  Simmer vegetables until mixture has thickened and resembles sauce, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over bowl with peppers, zucchini, and eggplant. Toss gently to combine and check seasoning. Transfer to a warm serving bowl.
5. In a wide skillet, add the spices and let them cook until fragrant.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, and red wine vinegar and cook on low, stirring until the mixture resembles a thick paste.
6. Poor the sauce over the bowl of roasted vegetables.
7. Fry and egg and serve on top of the roasted vegetables.  Serve immediately!

Serves 4.

Adapted from the Gastronomer’s Guide and David Lebovitz.