(Eggplant relish - Authentic Italian recipes from Sicily)

4 medium aubergines (eggplants), cubed with their skin
6 celery sticks, chopped
2 onions, thinly sliced
5 really ripe red tomatoes, skinned and chopped
150 g (5 1/2 oz) green olives, stoned
2 tablespoons capers in salt, rinsed well
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
10 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh basil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper (or dried chilly)

Time:
preparation: 20 minutes
plus 1 h to lose the bitter flavour of aubergines
cooking: 30 minutes
Difficulty:
easy recipe
Nutrition Facts (amount per serving):
Calories: 362 (kCal) 18 % GDA - 1516 (kJ)
Protein: 5.4 (g) 10 % GDA
Total fat: 30.4 (g) 43 % GDA
Total carbohydrate: 17.7 (g) 6 % GDA
Sugars: 17.4 (g) 19 % GDA

It's a tasty mixture of vegetables. Start a typical Italian meal or dress your pasta with it.
It's also a tasty side dish.
Place the aubergines (eggplants) in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave to disgorge for 1 hour. Rinse and pat dry.
Meanwhile place the chopped celery in a little saucepan and cover with salted cold water; bring to the boil and cook for ten minutes; drain it very well.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the aubergines (eggplants) and fry them for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In the same oil sauté the onions and celery. Add the tomatoes, the olives cut into halves and capers; season with salt and pepper and cook gently until soft (about 5 minutes).
Add the aubergines (eggplants) and cook for ten minutes, stirring gently 4-5 times. Sprinkle the caponata with sugar and pour in vinegar. Cook for 3 -4 minutes.
Garnish with basil.
Serve warm or cold.

Note

- This is a real Italian recipe from Sicily. If you use it for dressing pasta, you have to thicken more the mixture.
- You can add other vegetables, such as courgettes (Italian squashes) or peppers.

What's the right wine?

Our suggestion is: Chianti from Tuscan (red wine from Italy).