Eggplant Caponata

 

 

 

Makes a great dip, delicious on a crusty ciabatta

Ingredients

☐ 1 eggplant peeled and diced into ½ ” cubes (if I have zucchini I add it, why not? 😊 )

☐ salt to taste

☐ ¼ cup olive oil

☐ 1 cup finely chopped celery

☐ 1 onion, finely chopped

☐ 1-2 cloves of garlic

☐ 1 ½ cups of canned plum tomatoes drained and coarsely chopped

☐ 12 pitted green olives finely chopped

☐ ½ cup tomato paste

☐ 2 teaspoons of drained capers

☐ 1 teaspoon minced oregano

☐ 2 tablespoons wine vinegar

☐ 2 teaspoons white sugar

☐ 1 teaspoon salt

☐ ground black pepper to taste (I also add a little crushed red pepper flakes)

☐ 2 teaspoons minced parsley (I use about ½ cup)

☐ (I add from another recipe) 1 small red pepper diced

☐ (I add from another recipe) about ½ cup pignoli (pine) nuts

Sauté in 2 tablespoons of olive oil:

 

1.

 

*In a skillet

Celery: cook stirring often until softened about 4 minutes;

Add red pepper, as above;

Onion, garlic until onion is soft and lightly golden about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl with slotted spoon

 

2.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet

Add the eggplant and cook, stirring constantly until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes

Stir in the *celery mixture, with tomatoes, olives, capers, tomato paste, and oregano.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until caponata is thickened, about 15 minutes.

 

3. Season

 

Add vinegar, sugar, salt, pignoli nuts, black pepper

 

4. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with parsley

 

T I P

A food processor comes in very handy!

This recipe is from the Cuisinart book and several internet recipes I viewed.