Serves 6
This Sicilian sweet and sour eggplant stew is a sensational appetizer, served with slices of toasted Italian bread. It’s especially delicious with hardboiled eggs!
Since eggplant is so absorbent, it is a good idea to make the caponata a day or two before you plan to serve it. Keep it covered in the refrigerator. That extra time will give the flavors a chance to meld. Caponata can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold.
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
2 cups coarsely chopped onion
1½ cups coarsely chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons pine nuts
¼ cup capers
7 green pitted olives, sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the eggplant and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is soft and starting to brown.
With a slotted spoon, transfer the eggplant to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook until beginning to brown. Add the tomatoes and season again with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 7 minutes.
Return the eggplant to the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
As the mixture is simmering, heat the vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Add the pine nuts, capers, and olives and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the contents of the saucepan to the simmering skillet. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the fresh basil.
Transfer to a serving bowl.