Lightened-up Eggplant Caponata – a healthier and quicker version of a Sicilian summer classic. Perfect as an appetiser or side dish.
Course
Side Dish
Cuisine
Italian
Keyword
Caponata, Eggplant, Italian, Sicilian
Prep Time10minutes
Cook Time20minutes
Total Time30minutes
AuthorManuela Zangara
Ingredients
4big eggplants
15green olivespitted and halved
2tbspcapersrinsed
3tbspextra virgin olive oil
140gms– 5 oz. concentrated tomato paste
2big onionschopped
3celery stalkschopped
150ml– 5 oz. red wine vinegar
1tbspsugar
Salt to taste
Instructions
Cut the aubergines in cubes (3×3 cm – 1.2×1.2 inches) and put them in a bowl with cold salty water for half an hour.
Blanch the chopped celery in salty boiling water.
Sauté the onion with the 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil for a minute or 2. Add the tomato concentrate, capers, olives, salt and blanched celery with a little of its reserved cooking water and cook the sauce for 5 minutes.
Drain the the cubed eggplant and add it to the pot. Mix gently, cover, and cook until the eggplant is tender.
Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar and add it to the caponata. Cook it for a few minutes on a medium-high flame, then put the fire off and let it cool down.
It is best eaten at room temperature or cold, and it tastes even better after a day or two. Enjoy with some warm cabbuci!