Eggplant Caponata
A great Mediterranean dish that combines all that is good about Italian cooking. Great any time of year but best in summer when all the vegetables are very fresh and from your garden.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Olive oil divided
- 1 small red bell pepper – chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper – chopped
- 1 long hot pepper – minced
- 3-4 stalks celery including leaves – chopped ½ inch pieces
- 1 medium carrot – chopped fine
- 1 medium onion – chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic – crushed
- 1 large or 2 medium eggplants – skinned and chopped into 1 inch pieces
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1-teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- ¼ cup Parsley minced fine
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 28 oz. Can diced tomatoes or about 1.5 lbs. fresh
- 1 16 oz. Can tomato sauce
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1-½ tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons non-pariel small capers
- 1 cup green olives – chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil – chopped
Overview
- Preparation Time: 60 minutes
- Cooking Time: 40 Minutes
- Serves: 8
- Difficulty Level: 2
- Source: Anthony Bersani
Fry all peppers, celery and carrot for 5 minutes in olive oil. Add onion and fry for 5 minutes more. Add garlic and cook one minute longer. Remove all vegetables from pan and reserve. Fry eggplant in generous quantity of olive oil adding more as needed until eggplant are soft. Remove and reserve. Add a little more olive oil to pan and then add pine nuts and all spices. Fry on high for a minute to release flavors and toast pine nuts. Add parsley and fry for one to two minutes. Add vinegar to deglaze pan, stir frequently. Add tomatoes and sauce, rinse cans with water add, add sugar and honey. Run olives and capers under very hot running water in small colander, drain then add to pot. Cook on low for 30 – 40 minutes. Turn off heat and add fresh basil, stir to combine.
Serving Information
Serve at room temperature on grilled or toasted Italian bread. Best on leftover crusty bread that has been sliced thin and fried for few seconds in hot olive oil and then rubbed with half a garlic clove. Spread the caponata on top and enjoy. Keeps refrigerated for a week.
