Briam

Briam belongs to the family of dishes known as ladera, meaning cooked in oil, which forms the backbone of traditional Greek home cooking and reflects the long Orthodox fasting periods when meat was avoided. Built from whatever vegetables were abundant in late summer, the dish traditionally layers potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes, letting each vegetable release its own juices as it slow-roasts in a generous pool of olive oil. It is a dish born of thrift and season, designed to use a garden's late-summer surplus rather than any single prized ingredient. Every Greek region and even every household has its own version of briam, varying the ratio of vegetables or adding peppers and okra depending on what is on hand, but the slow oven roast under a blanket of olive oil remains constant. Served warm or at room temperature, briam is often eaten on its own with crusty bread and a crumble of feta, though it also appears as a side to grilled meat or fish. Its deep, caramelized flavor is widely considered to improve on the second day, once the vegetables have had time to fully absorb the oil and herbs.