Caponatina - Eggplant Appetizer

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 -4 garlic cloves, minced
• 0.5 (3 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium eggplant, unpeeled and diced
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and minced
• 1/3 cup pitted green olives, chopped
• 1 tablespoon capers
• olive oil (for frying)

Recipe

• 1 in sauce pan saute' onions and garlic in 3-4 tablespoons oil.
• 2 add paste, sugar, salt, and vinegar and simmer 8-10 minutes. add water, cover and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. add more water if needed.
• 3 fry eggplant cubes until browned. add to sauce. add celery, carrot, olives, and capers to frying pan with some additional oil if necessary. fry about 5 minutes. add to eggplant-sauce mixture.
• 4 cover pot and simmer slowly about 1/2 hour. add some pepper if desired.
• 5 remove from heat and cool. garnish with raisins or sliced hard cooked egg slices. serve at room temperature with crusty italian bread slices or crackers.