Sicilian Caponata with Eggplant and Olives

Caponata is a Sicilian antipasto of braised eggplant, celery and olives in a sweet-and-sour tomato sauce. It tastes good lukewarm or cold, best with toasted bread.

By yumbelo · 4 servings · 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 500 g Eggplants
• 200 g Celery stalks
• 1 pc Onion
• 5 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 can Can of peeled tomatoes (400 g)
• 80 g Green olives, pitted
• 2 tbsp Capers
• 30 g Pine nuts
• 3 tbsp White wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 bunch Basil
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

1. Wash the eggplants, cut off the ends and cut the flesh into cubes of about 2 cm. Salt the cubes, leave them to drain in a sieve for 15 minutes, then pat them dry with kitchen paper.
2. Trim the celery, remove the strings and slice thinly. Finely dice the onion.
3. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pan and fry the eggplant cubes in batches over medium heat until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
4. Heat the remaining olive oil in the pan, and sweat the onion and celery in it for 5 minutes until soft.
5. Add the tomatoes from the can, mash them with a wooden spoon and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
6. Stir in the eggplant, olives, capers and pine nuts. Stir in the vinegar and sugar and simmer everything for another 5 minutes until the caponata is thick and saucy.
7. Season with salt and pepper. Wash the basil, pluck the leaves and tear them roughly.
8. Let the caponata cool or serve it lukewarm and scatter the basil over it before serving.