Served with plenty of crusty bread and a green salad, this is a perfect dish for brunch or a light supper. Roasting is an excellent technique for ratatouille because the vegetables retain a distinct texture, yet the flavors meld. Pay close attention while you are cooking the eggs in the oven; they turn from nicely set to hard as a rock in a flash.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 40 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Moderate

1 small eggplant (about 12 ounces), trimmed, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes with juices
2 tablespoons torn fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
4 large eggs
4 ounces part-skim mozzarella, thinly sliced and cut into 1/4-inch strips
4 1/2-inch-thick slices Italian bread, preferably whole-wheat

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine eggplant, onion, zucchini, bell pepper and garlic in a large bowl; drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil; toss to coat. Spread the vegetables on the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast the vegetables, uncovered, turning often, until lightly browned and tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cut tomatoes into chunks. Stir the tomatoes (and their juices), basil and parsley into the vegetables. Cover with foil.
4. Bake until the ratatouille is hot and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.
5. With a large spoon, make four evenly spaced indentations in the hot ratatouille. Carefully break an egg into each indentation. Sprinkle cheese over the vegetables and eggs. Bake, uncovered, until the eggs are set and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
6. While the eggs are baking, toast bread and drizzle each slice with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Divide bread slices among 4 plates or shallow soup bowls.
7. To serve, lift an egg and ratatouille from the baking dish and place on top of a slice of toasted bread. Spoon the remaining vegetables and juices around the edges, distributing evenly. Garnish with more basil, if desired.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 402 calories; 21 g total fat (6 g sat, 11 g mono); 227 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrate; 22 g protein; 7 g fiber; 775 mg sodium; 419 mg potassium.

2 Carbohydrate Servings

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare through Step 4, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat before continuing.

I made this tonight - it seemed like it had more tomatoes than necessary, and after the veggies roasted I'd wished I'd put in more eggplant and zucchini. It would be good even without the bread, which is how I plan to eat the leftovers - without bread. All in all it was a tasty dinner for someone who's never made ratatouille before. I'll try other recipes next...

Robin, Moorpark, CA