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Caponata (Aubergine stew)

Caponata (Sicilian: capunata) is a Sicilian aubergine (eggplant) dish consisting of a cooked vegetable salad made from chopped fried eggplant and celery seasoned with sweetened vinegar, with capers in a sweet and sour sauce
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium Aubergine
  • 1 tsp capers (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 stick Celery
  • olive oil
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 230g can Chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp wine vinegar (red or white)
  • 2 tsp pine kernels
  • 2 tsp Sultanas
  • 1 small handful Green pitted olives (chopped)
  • basil leaves (to garnish - optional)

Instructions
 

  • Place the sultanas in a small bowl and cover with warm water and leave to soak
  • Cut the aubergine in to small chunks about 1 inch thick
  • Cut the celery in to thin slices and then heat a large frying pan and add some olive oil and fry the celery slices until golden, but still crunchy. Remove from pan and set aside
  • In the same oil (you might need to add more) fry the aubergine until soft. Remove from pan and set aside
  • Add some more oil and cook the onion until starting to brown, then add the vinegar and heat until it has all evaporated
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 3 minutes before adding the pine kernels, capers and drained sultanas.
  • Return the aubergine and the celery to the pan along with the green olives and mix gently and heat through adding salt and pepper to season.
  • Serve with pasta of choice and garnish with basil leaves if you have them

Notes

You could make this a day in advance which allegedly gives all of the flavours a chance to blend. I'm afraid I'm not that organised!