Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for about 30 minutes to soften.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Arrange eggplant in a single layer on a large baking sheet. (If it doesn’t all fit, divide among 2 sheets.) Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Roast until golden brown, about 35 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add about 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onions and thyme with pinches of salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Drain the cashews and place in a food processor or Vitamix. Add the lemon juice, miso, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Pulse until everything is broken down. Add ⅓ cup water and puree until creamy.

Reduce the oven temp to 375ºF.

Grease the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish with oil and arrange a third of the potatoes in a single layer across the bottom. Scatter half of the onions on top. Arrange half of the eggplant on top and dollop half of the ricotta across the eggplant; try to spread it as evenly as you can but don’t drive yourself crazy. Top with half of the tomatoes, all the garlic slices, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat the layers again – the final layer will be the remaining third of the potatoes. Press down on the potatoes to flatten the layers a bit. Drizzle the top with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through. Then uncover, raise the heat to 400ºF, and continue baking until the potatoes are golden, about 15 minutes more.