Eggplant Salad
(“Caponatina”)
Zia Bettina, my father’s sister and the guardian and keeper of our family cooking recipes, made this classic, savory dish in huge amounts because it was tastier the next day. We enjoyed it as contorno (side dish) or in a sandwich for our lunch at school.
When we had a celebration or a party, without fail, the caponatina was served. When Aunt Bettina cooked it, the whole family was involved in its preparation. I still remember the pleasant sweet-sour smell that filled the whole house for days.
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
- 4 eggplants- cut in half inch cubes, skin on, salt and place in a colander to drain
- 1 whole celery- cut in pieces about 1/2 inch, rinsed a few times
- 1 cup of olive oil
- 2 large onions-diced
- 1/2 lb. green olives-pitted and cut in half
- 1/4 lb. salted capers-thoroughly rinsed
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 cup of vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar
- salt and fresh ground black pepper
- basil leaves for garnish
Preparation
The Sauce
Boil celery in lightly salted water for 15 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid.
In a 5 ½ quart sauté pan heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium flame. Add onions and after 5 minutes add olives and capers. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste diluted in about a cup of the reserved liquid and cook for 5 additional minutes; then add celery. Simmer until celery is tender.
If the mixture is too thick, add some reserved liquid.
Add the sugar diluted in the vinegar and cook a few more minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste.
The Eggplants
Top dry the eggplants with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
Fry the eggplant in hot oil and place on paper towels to drain excessive oil.
Assembling the “Caponatina”
In a baking dish, arrange in layers the mixture and the fried eggplant, finish with the fried eggplant.
Bake for 20 minutes at 350’.
Garnish with basil.
Tastes better when served at room temperature.
