Delicious Italian relish, the perfect spread for bread or a breadstick dip.
There are as many recipes for eggplant caponata as there are cooks!
Feel free to play with combinations of ingredients to see what suits your taste!
Elise Bauer
Serve it on toasted or grilled bread, or with pasta or polenta.
Let this sit for 1 hour.
Drain the eggplant, rinse with fresh water, and pat dry with paper towels.
Elise Bauer
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onion and celery, season with salt.
Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion begins to softenabout 5 minutes.
Elise Bauer
Cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Let this heat until the oil is nearly smoking.
Elise Bauer
Cook like this for 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the onion-celery mixture, the tomatoes, olives, pine nuts, capers and red pepper flakes.
Add the vinegar, sugar and tomato paste and stir once more.
Elise Bauer
Cook, stirring occasionally until eggplant is very soft, about 8 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Mix in the basil.
Elise Bauer
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Caponata can be refrigerated, covered, up to 5 days.
