Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and a pinch of salt and cook for another minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat.

Grease a deep Dutch oven or large, deep baking dish with oil or cooking spray. Pour half of the crushed tomatoes into the bottom of the baking dish, then top with the cooked onions and garlic. Layer the cauliflower over the the onions; drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with the eggplant and zucchini, layering each vegetable and drizzling with a tablespoon of olive oil and seasoning with salt.

Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the zucchini, then layer the bell pepper rings over the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and oregano.

Cover the baking dish with a lid or foil. Bake the briam for 1 1/2 hours, then press the vegetables down and bake for another 30 minutes uncovered, or until the vegetables are tender. Allow the briam to cool for 10 minutes or so before serving.

Ideas for serving: Serve alone as a vegetable side dish or make it a meal by serving over rice, pasta, polenta, or pureed white beans (my personal favorite). Cold leftovers are delicious spooned onto crusty bread.