Ingredients
- 2 medium cut into 2cm dice Eggplant
- To taste Sea Salt
- To tatse Freshly Ground Pepper
- For frying Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 large roughly chopped brown Onions
- 4 large smashed and chopped Garlic Clove
- 5 stringed and cut into Stalk Celery
- 2 cm Dice
- 2 tablespoons small salted rinsed thoroughly in cold water Capers
- 1/4 cup pitted and quartered Green Olives
- 400g tin crushed Tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Caster Sugar
- 3 tablespoons Fresh Basil
Directions
This caponata is a vibrant mixture of fresh vegetables, including eggplant, onion, celery and tomatoes. Olives, capers, basil and pine nuts makes it special. Serve it as a side with fish or as a spread on rustic bread. Prepare it the night before serving if you can; it always tastes better the next day.
Recipe Credit: goodfood.com.au
Steps
1 Done | Sprinkle eggplant with salt and leave for 20 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse off the juices. Dry with paper towel. |
2 Done | Pour enough olive oil in a frying pan to reach 2cm up the sides. When it is hot and just about to start smoking, add eggplant and fry until colored and soft (about 5 minutes) - you can do this in two batches. Drain eggplant on paper towel. |
3 Done | Drain oil from the pan and add 3 tbsp of fresh extra virgin olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add celery and cook for a further 5 minutes. |
4 Done | Return eggplant to pan then add capers and olives and toss together. Pour in the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar and basil. Cook over low heat for 8 minutes. |
5 Done | Caponata can be served straight away or refrigerated to allow the flavours to combine further. |
