Wash and dry the eggplants. Remove the stems and cut them into cubes. Place the cubes in a colander and sprinkle with a little coarse salt to remove any bitterness and draw out excess moisture.

After 30 minutes, rinse the eggplant cubes and pat them dry with a kitchen towel. Heat plenty of vegetable oil in a large skillet and fry the eggplant in two batches.

Stir occasionally so the eggplant fries evenly on all sides. As they finish cooking, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Wash and dry the celery stalks. Cut them into pieces and sauté them in a skillet with some extra virgin olive oil.

Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion into small pieces, then add it to the skillet to sauté with the celery.

When the vegetables start to soften, add the capers (previously soaked in water) and pine nuts (previously toasted in a pan).

Sauté well, stirring often, then add the olives. Let the flavors blend, and after a few minutes, add the tomato purée and the peeled tomatoes cut into pieces. Cook for 10 minutes.

Add the sugar and vinegar, and mix well. Finally, add the fried eggplant.

Cover and cook until the sauce thickens. Adjust the salt to taste, then remove from heat.

Tips:
☑️ Store caponata in the refrigerator in a glass container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it or preserve it for winter in sterilized and pasteurized glass jars.

☑️ It’s also perfect as a pasta topping.

☑️ To keep the celery from staying too firm, blanch it before sautéing.