We seem to eat a lot of eggplant in our house. We grow it in the garden, so I guess that makes sense.
When I was planning my menu for my Italian dinner party, I knew I wanted to serve a vegetable. Eggplant seemed like the right way to go as it is a very hearty vegetable.
I do love a caponata. It has such a wonderful blend of vegetables in addition to the eggplant.
The capers give this dish a lovely little saltiness to it. You can think of capers and miniature olives - they have the same feel.
The pine nuts add a little crunch and some great texture.
The great part of this dish is the vinegar. It is diluted with a small amount of sugar, but it still gives the dish an overall tangy taste.
The best part of a caponata is that you can serve it warm, as I did, or you can chill it and serve it cold. It goes wonderfully on top of sliced Italian bread as a bruschetta.
CAPONATA ALA SICILIANA
2 Eggplants
2 Sliced Onions
1 Cup Diced Celery
1 Large Can Strained Tomatoes
2 Ounces Washed Capers
1 Tablespoon Pine Nuts
2 Tablespoons Sugar
4 Tablespoons Wine Vinegar
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Dice eggplant into 1 inch cubes. Fry in very hot oil for 10 minutes. Remove from oil and place in a large saucepan. Fry onion in the same oil for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and celery. Simmer 15 minutes. Add capers and pine nuts. Add to eggplant. Dissolve sugar in vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat slightly. Add to eggplant. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve warm or cold.
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