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Check this out, ragazzi. This dish is what I call ‘Italian Ratatouille’ for its resemblance to the French classic – except I PUNCH up the flavour in a couple sneaky ways. This is an all-time favourite inside southern Italians’ kitchens. The sweetness of bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions are fantastically balanced by bright briny capers, olives, and vinegar. Make this once, and you’ll love it forever.
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2 large eggplants
¼ cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 large onion, diced
3 large stalks celery, medium diced
2 bell peppers (preferably red & green), medium diced
4 cups homemade tomato passata (or canned diced tomatoes)
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup sliced Kalamata olives (or your choice of olive)
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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Wash the eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise. Sprinkle flesh side with a bit of salt and place them flesh side down in a colander to drain for 30-45 minutes (the salt will remove excess acid and bitter liquid from the eggplant!) Give your eggplant a squeeze and dab off any liquid that formed on the surface, then cube the eggplant the same size as your other vegetables.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the onion, celery, and bell peppers over low heat until tender, 10-15 minutes. Add the eggplant to the pan. Add the remaining ingredients & seasonings and stir together.
Cover tightly and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring regularly
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Serve your beautiful caponata as a main dish, beside any protein, or with some bread for a marvelous scarpetta session. Pro tip: let marinade in the fridge overnight for a more intense flavour-marriage the next day.
Buon Appetito Ragazzi!
-P