1 med. eggplant
2 med. green bell pepper
2 med. yellow bell peppers
2 med. red bell peppers
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 med. onions, coarsley chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 med. zucchini
5 med. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped, or a 28 oz. can
peeled tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 c. tightly packed basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. tightly packed Italian parsley (discard the lower halves of the stems),
coarsely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
About 2 tbsp. wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the broiler. Line the rack of the broiling pan with foil and place the eggplant in it. Broil the eggplant close to the heat (about 6 inches), turning on all sides until the skin is charred and the eggplant feels slightly soft to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. (Do not overbake it.) Let the eggplant cool, remove the skin, drain off any excess juices, scrape off some of the seeds if there are many and cut the flesh into small cubes. Set aside.

Broil the peppers in the same way as the eggplant, turning them frequently until they are blistered and charred. Place them immediately in a plastic bag. (The sealed in moisture loosens the skin.) As soon as they are cool enough to handle, peel the peppers, starting at the stem end. Discard the stems, seeds and ribs and cut into small cubes. Set aside.

In a large saucepan heat the olive oil. Add the onions and the garlic, cover and saute over low heat until soft. Meanwhile, wash the zucchini and pat dry. Trim the ends and cut them also into small cubes. Add the zucchini to the onions and saute for a few minutes. Add the eggplant, peppers and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover and cook slowly, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes. Uncover, add the basil, parsley and thyme and cook for 10 minutes more. The vegetables should still hold their shape. Season to taste with the vinegar and salt and pepper.