Zia Anita's Caponata (Eggplant and Olive Tapenade)

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When my Aunt Anita was young, my  grandma would make pickled eggplant and caponata using vegetables from her garden in Italy.


Ingredients:

1 lb small eggplants or 1 large eggplant
a pinch of salt
1 large onion diced
2 ribs of celery cut into small pieces 
1 cup kalamata olives pitted roughly chopped
3 plum tomatoes cubed and seeded
2-4 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup wine vinegar
1 tablespoon capers
Pine nuts -optional 1/4 cup

Directions:

Wash and slice the eggplants, sprinkle with salt and place them on a sieve to allow the bitter juices to drain off.
Meanwhile cut and blanch the celery then set aside.
Rinse the eggplants off and pat dry.

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the eggplants on both sides until golden brown.
Place them on a paper towel to cool and remove any excess oil.
When cool chop the eggplant into small cubes-set aside.
When done sauteing the eggplants -In the same pan add more olive oil.
Add the onions saute them about 5 minutes-let them sweat.
Add the optional pine nuts.
Add the celery, tomatoes, and the kalamata  olives saute about 5 minutes.
Add a pinch of salt and pepper to your taste.
Simmer for 5 minutes more.
Add the sugar, vinegar, capers, and cubed eggplant and continue simmering for 10 minutes until the vinegar has evaporated.
Serve at room temperature as an appetizer on a baguette or as a side dish.
Top on pita, pasta or main dish.
Garnish with fresh Italian parsley and basil.

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