Baked Ratatouille with Goat Cheese and Pesto

Peel the eggplant, if you prefer, or leave some of the skin on in strips. Trim off the stem, slice into quarters lengthwise, then slice into 1-inch thick half moons.

Put the eggplant in a large bowl with the zucchini, bell pepper and onion. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil,  1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves and toss together.

Stir the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, garlic, crushed red pepper and black pepper into the crushed tomatoes. Spread over the bottom of a 4-5 quart casserole or baking dish.

Arrange the vegetable mixture in the dish in one layer. Top with the sliced tomatoes and thyme sprigs. Bake 30-35 minutes. The juices should be bubbling and the eggplant tender when pierced with a the tip of a knife. Remove the thyme stems (you can crumble the leaves over the dish first).

Sprinkle the goat cheese over the ratatouille and drizzle with the pesto. Serve warm or at room temperature.