Eggplant Caponata

Name: Eggplant Caponata
Ingredients: 2 eggplants; 3 onions; 2 cups celery (about 300 grams); 1 tablespoon capers; 1 tablespoon raisins; 1 tablespoon pine nuts; 1 cup pitted green olives (about 150 grams); 2 cups ripe tomatoes (about 400 grams); 1 small bunch basil; 1/4 cup white wine vinegar (about 1/2 glass); 1 tablespoon sugar; Extra-virgin olive oil; Salt; Pepper

LaSiciliaVienMangiando @cook_17335412

Once again, it was the Arabs who introduced this dish to Sicily when they landed at Mazara del Vallo in 827. From there, eggplant became increasingly known and appreciated. There is also an interesting popular belief about the origin of the name caponata. It seems that wealthy nobles of the time would often be served a fish known in Sicily as capone. The common people, unable to afford such a luxury, made do by replacing the capone with eggplant.

LaSiciliaVienMangiando @cook_17335412

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Ingredients

2eggplants
3onions
2 cupscelery (about 300 grams)
1 tablespooncapers
1 tablespoonraisins
1 tablespoonpine nuts
1 cuppitted green olives (about 150 grams)
2 cupsripe tomatoes (about 400 grams)
1small bunch basil
1/4 cupwhite wine vinegar (about 1/2 glass)
1 tablespoonsugar
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

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Steps

1

Clean and cut the eggplants into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes. Place them in a colander, sprinkle with coarse salt, and set a weight on top to draw out excess moisture.
2

After about 40–50 minutes, rinse and dry the eggplant cubes, then fry them in plenty of oil. Place them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
3

Wash the celery, remove the strings, and cut into small pieces. Boil in water for 10–15 minutes, drain, and set aside.
4

Slice the onions and cook them in a little water until the water evaporates.
5

In a skillet, add the cooked onions with plenty of olive oil. Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes and cook for 6–7 minutes.
6

Add the rinsed capers, boiled celery, raisins soaked in warm water, and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.
7

Dissolve a tablespoon of sugar in a little more than 1/4 cup (about 1/2 glass) of vinegar and pour it into the skillet.
8

Add the fried eggplant and stir everything together to combine all the ingredients.