Caponata is a dish of the Sicilian culinary tradition.
It was originally eaten as accompaniment sauce for a particular fish that in the sicilian dialect is called “Capone” which is where this recipe takes its name.
The recipe has a unique sweet and sour sauce that compliments the aubergines beautifully!
Ingredients for 4 people
- 700g aubergines
- 250g celery
- 200g onions
- 100g green olives
- 40g capers
- 600g tomato sauce
- 100ml vinegar
- 1tbs sugar
- salt, pepper, olive oil to taste
Wash and dice the aubergines, dry them with kitchen paper and fry them in an abundant layer of olive oil. Once fried, let them rest on more kitchen paper, so that it will absorb the excess of oilve oil.
Wash the celery and cut it in little pieces. 
Once diced,it needs to be quickly put in hot boiling water with salt for 3 minutes and then set aside. Cut the onion finely and put it in a frying pan with celery, olives and capers in olive oil. Let it cook for a while until they start turning of a nice golden colour, then add the tomato sauce, saln and pepper and leave to cook on medium heat for 15minutes.
Now prepare the sweet&sour sauce: put the vinegar in a pan and add the sugar to it to melt. Add the aubergines to the tomato mixture and pour the sweet&sour sauce on it. Stir gently and let the vinegar evaporate while the sauce thickens. Let it cool off completely before serving.
As an additional touch you could add roasted pine nuts, peppers or potatoes.
*original recipe from agrodolce.it