In a large skillet, add 1/3 cup of the olive oil and heat over medium-high. Add eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash. Season well with salt (suggest 1 1/2 teaspoons) and cook until soft and wilted and browning just a little, about 15 minutes. Scoop out to a plate, leaving the oil behind. If there isn’t a tablespoon or two of oil in the pan, add a little more.

Add the onion and 1/2 cup of water to the skillet. Add lid to skillet and cook until water is evaporated and onion is soft and beginning to pick up color, about 7 or 8 minutes. Check several times and add a little more water if the onion hasn’t softened and started to color by the time the initial amount of water is evaporated.

Once the onion has begun to brown, continue to cook (lid off) for several minutes until mostly caramelized, then add in the bell pepper, tomatoes, anchovies or fish sauce. Continue to cook until the bell peppers have started softening, another 8 to 10 minutes or so.

Scrape the vegetables away from the center of the pan and add the garlic; once the garlic is fragrant, stir into the vegetables. Scrape the vegetables away from the center of the pan again and add the tomato paste. Cook for about a minute, allowing the paste to darken, stirring it as necessary. Stir the tomato paste into the vegetables.

Add in the basil, thyme, and red pepper flakes and stir everything together. Return the eggplant, zucchini, and squash to the pan and mix in. Taste for salt and add a little if the dish seems lacking.

Turn heat to medium-low, add another half cup of water, and gently cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, partially covered, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until the vegetables are very soft and juicy but still retain some of their shape and texture. As they’re close to done, add a tablespoon or two of olive oil.

When finished, splash with a tablespoon or two of vinegar and cool to room temperature. Garnish as desired with parsley and/or a few sprigs of basil.