Caponata ala Siciliana

Caponata ala Sicilia is a wonderful eggplant dish that captures the flavors of late summer.

Caponata ala Siciliana

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

2 1/4 lb eggplant, diced

1/2 lb green olives, packed in brine, sliced

6 ounces salted capers, rinsed

1 1/4 lb celery stalks

2/3 lb onions, finely sliced

2/3 lb tomatoes, chopped

1/3 cup vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

basil

3/6 cup pine nuts

olive oil

salt

Preparation:

Wash the eggplant and salt it liberally, and let it sit several hours to draw out the bitter juices.

Cooking:

Peel filaments off celery stalks, then blanch them in salted water for five minutes. Drain them, and cut into pieces, Sautee in olive oil for a couple minutes, and then set aside.

Blanch, skin, seed, and chop the tomatoes.

Saute the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the capers, pine nuts, olives, and tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are done, about 15 minutes, and remove from heat.

Rinse the eggplant off, and fry in small batches in olive oil. When all of the eggplant is fried, add eggplant and celery to the tomato mixture, returning it to low heat. Add the vinegar and sugar, and gently cook until the vinegar has evaporated.

Remove pot from fire and let it cool, serve cold topped with fresh basil.