Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened.
1 tbsp olive oil, ½ onion
Add garlic and cook another 2–3 minutes.
2 cloves garlic
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes until slightly darkened.
1 tbsp tomato paste
Add crushed tomatoes, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
1 cup tomatoes, 1 tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper
Spread this tomato mixture evenly in the bottom of a baking dish or skillet. This becomes the flavour base.
Arrange the sliced eggplant, zucchini and tomato vertically in alternating layers across the dish, slightly overlapping them so they form a tight pattern.
1 small eggplant, 1 zucchini, 2 Roma tomatoes
Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove foil and bake another 15–20 minutes until vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized.
Finish with cheese and fresh herbs before serving.
2 tbsp parmesan, 1 tbsp basil