INGREDIENTS
- 2 large eggplants
- 1 large onion
- 2 celery stalks
- 100 g green olives (pitted)
- 50 g capers (salted)
- 300 g tomato sauce
- 50 ml white wine vinegar
- 30 g sugar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh basil (optional)
PREPARATION
- Preparing the Eggplants:
- Cut the eggplants into 2 cm (about 1 inch) cubes.
- Sprinkle them with coarse salt and place them in a colander. Let them sit for about 30 minutes to remove any bitterness. Then, rinse them under cold water and pat them dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
- Frying the Eggplants:
- In a large pan, heat a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil.
- Fry the eggplant cubes until golden and crispy. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil and set them aside.
- Preparing the Celery:
- Cut the celery stalks into small pieces.
- Blanch them in lightly salted boiling water for about 5 minutes, then drain them.
- Preparing the Sauce:
- In a large pan, heat a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- Add the finely chopped onion and sauté over medium heat until it becomes translucent.
- Add the blanched celery, sliced green olives, and rinsed capers to remove the salt.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and stir well. Let it cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.
- Combining the Ingredients:
- Add the fried eggplants to the pan with the sauce.
- In a small bowl, mix the white wine vinegar with the sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Pour the vinegar and sugar mixture into the pan. Stir well and let it cook over low heat for another 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Adjusting the Taste:
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. If you like, you can add a few fresh basil leaves, torn by hand.
- Cooling and Serving:
- Let the caponata cool to room temperature. You can also prepare it in advance and store it in the refrigerator, as it tastes even better the next day.
- Serve the caponata at room temperature as an appetizer, side dish, or even as a light main course, perhaps with fresh bread.
Enjoy your meal!
