Ingredients

  • 4 aubergines
  • salt
  • 8 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion large, sliced
  • 2 celery hearts cut into little chunks
  • 3 3/8 cups tomatoes ripe italian beefy, chopped
  • 3/4 cup pitted green olives
  • 7 tablespoons capers salted, rinsed
  • 2 fillets salted anchovy in olive oil
  • 15/16 cup slivered almonds
  • 5 3/16 tablespoons sultanas golden
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 6 2/3 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 3 3/8 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • basil almonds, or mint

Method

  • Salt the aubergines and leave to drain for an hour in the colander. Heat about 6 tablespoons of virgin olive oil in a saute pan and fry the aubergine cubes until golden. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Adding more oil to the pan if necessary, fry the onion until soft, then fry all the other ingredients, apart from the sugar and vinegar. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
  • Add the aubergines to the mixture with the sugar and wine vinegar. Taste for salt and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Caponata can be eaten warm but it is also delicious at room temperature.