A quintessentially Sicilian veggie dish of aubergines, tomatoes, raisins, capers and pine nuts – serve with toasted ciabatta
Ingredients
For the caponata
- 100ml olive oil
- 3 large aubergines, cut into 2cm cubes
- 2 long shallots, chopped
- 4 large plum tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tsp caper, soaked if salted
- 50g raisin
- 4 celery sticks, sliced
- 50ml red wine vinegar
- handful toasted pine nuts and basil leaves
For the bruscetta
- 8 slices ciabatta
- olive oil, for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove
Method
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Pour the olive oil into a large heavybased saucepan or casserole, place over a medium heat and add the aubergines. Cook for a good 15-20 mins until they are soft. Scoop the aubergines out of the pan – you should be left with some olive oil. Add the shallots and cook for about 5 mins until they are soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook slowly, so they break down and turn to a soft mush, then add the aubergines back to the pan. Now put in the capers, raisins, celery and vinegar, season well and cover with a lid. Cook over a low heat for 40 mins, until all the vegetables are soft. Stir gently so it doesn’t break up too much; the stew should smell sweet and sour.
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When the caponata is cooked, leave to cool slightly while you make the bruschetta. Heat a griddle pan, drizzle the bread with olive oil and griddle until toasted and lightly charred on both sides, then rub with a garlic clove and season. Serve the warm caponata scattered with the basil leaves and pine nuts, with bruschetta on the side.