- Serving: For Family
Eggplant Caponata
Tidbits...Caponata is a traditional Sicilian recipe and is always served at room temperature. This version uses fresh, ripe vegetables creating a very intense flavor. The original recipe omits bell peppers and uses 1/2 cup plumped raisins instead. It is used on bruschetta or stands alone as an appetizer or lunch.
Ingredients
- Eggplants - 2 medium, cubed
- Green olives - 1 cup pitted and halved
- Celery - 2 stalks cut in small pieces
- Capers - 200 g
- Vine tomatoes - 2 quartered, seeded
- Red Bell Pepper - 1/2 cut in small pieces
- Yellow Bell Pepper - 1/2 cut in small pieces
- Onion - 2 diced
- Pine nuts - 60 g
- Tomato paste - 3 T
- White wine vinegar - 1/2 cup
- Demerara Sugar - 3 T
- Olive oil - 2 T
- Peanut oil - Abundant for frying
Instructions
- Wash, slice and cut eggplant into 1/2 inch cubes. Put in collander over a large bowl. Salt and cover and let stand for 1 hour.
- Cut celery into small pieces and blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water. Drain and set aside.
- In large skillet lightly brown onion in 2 tbl. olive oil. Add pepper pieces, celery, capers and olives.
- Add tomato paste and sugar mixed into 1/2 cup water.
- Rinse and dry eggplant and fry in small batches until golden. Then remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper toweling.
- Add eggplant, pine nuts and wine vinegar to mixture. Cook over low heat 15 - 20 minutes.
- Let cool to room temperature.
