Ingredients
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900-1000 g aubergines
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300-400 g celery sticks
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2 medium onions
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400-500 g canned tomatoes, dices (or fresh tomatoes)
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100-150 g black olives, stones removed
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20 g capers
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50 g pine nuts
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Olive oil
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Approx. 300 ml vegetable oil for roasting
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1 handful basil leaves, fresh (or 1 tsp dried)
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Salt
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20 g sugar
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20 g white grape vinegar, 5%
Directions
I am writing this recipe from Catania, Cicily. I’m drinking a local wine and eating caponata, though canned, but local and absolutely authentic.
Caponata is a Cicilian dish made from aubergines and a few other kinds of vegetables. It has an intense sour-sweet flavor and is complemented with fish and other seafood.
Here, on Cicily, the main ingredients of the cuisine are seafood and the most popular vegetable is the aubergine. They are used almost everywhere – in pizza, pasta, salad and snacks. The most popular and famous aubergine dish is caponata. The recipe I am suggesting you is 100% Italian, and it is much more delicious than the canned one I am eating right now, though it is pretty decent. 🙂
Today's visits: 1.
Steps
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1
Done
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Rinse the aubergines, remove stems and cut into 1.5mm cubes. Place them into a colander, add some salt, mix, cover with plastic wrap, place a press over it and let drain for 1 hour. During this time the subergines will get rid of excess moisture and bitterness. |
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2
Done
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Prepare the other vegetables meanwhile. Start with the celery sticks. Cut them into 0.5-1cm size pieces and cook for 3-4 min in salted water. Then strain and transfer onto a kitchen towel to dry. |
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3
Done
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Peel the onions and cut into thin semicircles. Warm up some olive oil in a pan or a pot. Cook the onions until soft. |
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4
Done
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Approximately 10 min later, when the onion is already soft, add capers, olives and pine nuts. Increase the heat and cook for a few minutes. |
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5
Done
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Cut the fresh tomatoes into 1 cm cubes, or, if you use already dices canned ones, add to the ingredients in the pan. Cook together for 20 min, or 5-10 min, if you use canned tomatoes, over low heat. |
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6
Done
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In another pan, cook the celery in olive oil. |
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7
Done
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Rinse the aubergines, transfer onto a kitchen towel and pat them dry. |
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8
Done
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In batches, cook the aubergine cubes in a big amount of oil over high heat. If the aubergines are dry enough, they won’t splatter and will got golden all over. |
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9
Done
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Transfer the cooked aubergines to the vegetables, add the cooked celery, salt, vinegar and sugar, mix and cook for a few minutes to get rid of the vinegar flavor. |
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10
Done
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Turn off the heat and add basil leaves. Mix well. Caponata is done! Enjoy! How to serve: Caponata has an intense sour-sweet flavor and is can be paired with fish, bread, porridge, rice and potatoes. Can be served warm as well as at room temperature. How to keep: Can be kept refrigerated up to 3-4 days. |
