Caponata

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg eggplant(s)
• ½ tbsp salt
• 220 ml oil (olive oil)
• 1 large onion(s), coarsely chopped
• 2 celery, sliced
• 1 small red bell pepper(s), cut into short strips
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 400 g tomatoes from the can, chopped
• 4 tbsp vinegar (red wine vinegar)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped if desired
• 24 green olives, pitted and halved
• 4 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Cut the eggplants into 2 cm cubes. Place them in a colander in layers, sprinkling each layer with salt. Drain for 30 minutes. Rinse and squeeze liquid with your hands. Heat 90 ml of oil in a large frying pan. Fry the eggplants in batches over high heat, adding more oil as needed. Drain on kitchen paper. Add more oil to the pan and reduce the heat. Sauté the onion and celery for 5 minutes until softened, but do not brown. Add the bell peppers and pine nuts and sauté for another 2 minutes. Skim off any excess oil with a spoon. Then add the tomatoes and 60 ml water. Simmer for another 10 minutes, until the vegetables are relatively dry. Season generously with black pepper. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, capers, and olives, cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the eggplants and heat for another 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Add pepper to taste. Stir in the parsley. It tastes great with grilled food, but it’s also a great cold appetizer—best served with an Italian meal, of course!