Eggplant, tomato, peppers, onions

Roasted Ratatouille

I have never been a truly enthusiastic fan of ratatouille--that is to say, I eat it, but usually try to make sure there is something else accompanying it to increase the "meal satisfaction" level!  However, I've discovered that with essentially the same ingredients I can make a dish that is much more satisfying and also a great starting point for other really good dishes.  Here's how:
Get out a large roasting pan and fill it to the top with:  eggplant (quartered and sliced), onions (coarsely chopped), tomatoes (cut into chunks, not peeled), peppers (red or green), garlic cloves (5 or 6 coarsely chopped).  Sprinkle with salt and add several tablespoons of olive oil; mix it up (I use my hands) so that the vegetables are coated. Put it into a 350 degree oven and roast for a couple of hours, until the volume is reduced by at least half and the liquids have evaporated.  This will mean that the sugars within the vegetables will have caramelized and all will be meltingly tender.  Now you have a dish that will keep very well in either refrigerator or freezer, and with very little prep time can be turned into lunch or supper:

• Spread on a pita bread and top with the cheese of your choice; broil until cheese is melted.
• Cook up some pasta and mix with the ratatouille; add grated cheese and serve.
• Layer ratatouille and either hamburger, chicken, beans, cooked rice, or cooked lasagna noodles; top with cheese and bake until cheese melts.
• Spread on crackers for an appetizer; top with black olives.

Notes:

• The key to success here is to eliminate as much of the water from these veggies as possible without causing them to stick to the roasting pan.  That may take some time in the oven, so do it on one of those cool August evenings when you don't mind the heat from the oven--and then, cook a chicken or some potatoes or apple pie while you're at it to get the most out of all that heat! 
• I usually use the following proportions (approximately):  for each eggplant, include 1 or 2 peppers, 1 or 2 onions, 3 or 4 tomatoes.