Caponata
Ingredients:
· 2 large eggplants
· Olive oil
· Pinch red pepper flakes
· 3 stalks celery, chopped
· 1 large yellow onion, chopped
· 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
· 2 tablespoons tomato paste
· 2 cups chopped tomatoes (I buy mine from Richie Bell and jar them for the winter but you can buy jarred or boxed. I don’t like canned)
· Handful of basil, chopped
· 1 teaspoon oregano
· 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
· 1 cup green olives (I like castelvetrano but this is a personal choice how briny you like your olives), chopped
· ¼ cup pignoli (pine nuts)
· Salt and pepper
· Handful of fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Directions:
Remove the stems from the eggplant and dice into 1-inch cubes. I leave the skin on. Salt the eggplant and let sit in a colander for 30 minutes so the bitter liquid drains off. Make sure the colander is in the sink so it doesn’t go all over your counter. If you don’t have time for this step, it’s okay to skip it, the eggplant may need to cook a little longer.
Heat about 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a high sided, lidded pan and add eggplant. Cover and stir occasionally until it is really soft. This is a key step-if your eggplant is springy/spongy, it will taste horrible. Make sure the heat is medium-low so the eggplant doesn’t burn.
In a separate high sided pan, heat another 2 tablespoons oil and add the red pepper flakes, the celery and onions and saute for 5 minutes on medium heat then and add the garlic. Stir and let heat another minute or two. Add the tomato paste to the middle of the pan and stir to evenly mix with the onions, celery and garlic. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir well, lowering to low heat. Let this mixture come together and start to thicken. Add the herbs and stir. If the eggplant is soft and ready, add to the pan with the tomatoes and thoroughly combine. With the heat on low, add capers and the olives and stir again. Heat through and taste-if it needs salt or pepper ad a bit now.
In a small saute pan, toast the pignoli but don’t let them burn. Fold into the Caponata.
Serve warm or room temp in a large bowl with parsley sprinkled on top.
