Caponata is a traditional Sicilian dish reminiscent of a vegetable stew. The main ingredient in caponata is eggplant stewed with onions, celery, tomatoes, olives and capers. To make the dish have sweet and sour notes, vinegar and sugar are added to it.
It is necessary
- Ingredients for 4 servings:
- - eggplant - 800 g;
- - celery - 2-3 stalks;
- - olive oil - 9 tablespoons;
- - 3 tomatoes;
- - 2 onions;
- - 2 spoons of capers (optional);
- - olives - 100 g;
- - pine nuts or raw almonds - 50 g;
- - a spoonful of sugar;
- - vinegar - 100 ml;
- - finely chopped basil - 2 teaspoons;
- - salt to taste.
Instructions
Step 1
Cut the eggplants into slices about 1 centimeter thick. We put them in a large cup, sprinkle generously with salt to remove the bitterness and excess moisture. We press down the eggplants with a load, leave for 1 hour.
Step 2
Remove tough threads from celery. Boil water in a small saucepan or ladle and dip the celery into it for 5 minutes. Cool the stems and cut them into small pieces with a sharp knife. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan, fry the celery over low heat so that it becomes soft, but does not brown or burn. We put it aside.
Step 3
Remove the peel from the tomatoes and remove the grains, cut into small cubes, and set aside.
Step 4
Peel the onion and cut into thin half rings, fry in a clean frying pan in 3 tablespoons of olive oil. The onion should turn golden, but you need to make sure that it does not burn. Add capers (optional) and olives (pine nuts or almonds) to the onion. Mix the ingredients well. Put tomatoes in a frying pan, simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5
We wash off the salt from the eggplants, transfer them to a clean towel to remove excess moisture. Heat the oil well in a large saucepan with a thick bottom. Add the eggplants, fry them until golden brown. Add celery and a mixture of onions, tomatoes, olives, capers and nuts to the pan. Stir the ingredients and leave on low heat for 10 minutes.
Step 6
Salt the dish to taste, add sugar and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour in the vinegar, let it evaporate completely (about 3-5 minutes), remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the caponata to a large platter and decorate with chopped basil.
