Authentic Italian Caponatina

Caponatina is eggplant at its best.
This finely chopped version of capponata
is a delicious appetizer which can be served
on toasted crusty bread or even over a little pasta.
It’s a traditional Sicilian eggplant appetizer.
The sweet and sour flavor of the sautéed eggplant
mixed with the rich taste of olive oil and vegetables
will make a memorable appetizer for any occasion.

Ingredients:
1 medium size eggplant, finely diced
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
6 green olives, pitted and chopped
6 black olives, pitted and chopped
1 Tbls of capers
1 Tbls of pine nuts
2 Tbls of raisins
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 Tbls of sugar
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. of salt
1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Wash eggplant.
Cut the ends off, do not peel.
Slice and chop into 1 inch dice.
In a frying pan sauté the eggplant
in olive oil until tender.
Remove the eggplant from the pan
and drain on a paper towel and set aside.
Add the onions, celery and bell pepper
to the pan and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.
Stir in tomato sauce, olives, capers,
pine nuts and raisins and simmer for 15 minutes.
In a separate saucepan slowly heat the
vinegar and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
Stir the sugar vinegar mixture into the tomato sauce.
Stir in the eggplant.
Season with salt and pepper.