Ingredients
extra virgin olive oil, 1½ cups (more or less - depending how much the vegetables will absorb)
eggplants, 1-2 large, dark skinned variety,
peppers, 3, preferably 1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow (variation of colour is mainly for appearance, but the red and yellow ones taste
sweeter)
onion, 1, large, sliced thinly
red tomatoes, 2 medium size, peeled and chopped, or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and a little water
capers, ½ cup, salted or in brine
green olives, ¾ cup, stoned, chopped
celery, 2-3
tender stalks and the pale green leaves (both from the centre of the celery)
white, wine vinegar, ½ cup
sugar, 2 tablespoons
salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Cut the eggplant into cubes (approx 30mm) - do not peel. Place the cubes into abundant water with about 1 tablespoon of salt. Leave for about 30 minutes - this will keep the flesh white and the eggplant is said to absorb less oil if soaked previously. Prepare the capers - if they are the salted variety, ensure they have been rinsed thoroughly and then soaked for about 30 minutes before use, and then rinsed again. Cut the peppers into slices (approx 20mm) or into rectangular shapes. Slice the onion. Slice the celery sticks and the green leaves finely. Peel, and coarsely chop the tomatoes (or use tomato paste). Drain the eggplants and squeeze them to remove as much water as possible - I use a clean tea towel. Heat a large frypan over medium heat with ¾ cup of the extra virgin olive oil. Add eggplant cubes and sauté until soft and golden (about 1012 minutes). Place the drained eggplants into a large bowl and set aside (all of the vegetables will be added to this same bowl). If you want to, drain the oil from the eggplants back into the same frypan and reuse this oil to fry the next ingredients - the peppers. Add new oil (to the leftover eggplant oil) plus a little salt and sauté the peppers, until wilted and beginning to turn brown (about 1012 minutes). Remove the peppers from the pan and drain the oil from the peppers back into the same frypan. Place the peppers in the bowl with the eggplants. Add a little more oil to the pan and sauté the celery gently for 57 minutes, so that it retains some of its crispness (in more traditional recipes, the celery is always boiled until soft before being sautéed). Sprinkle the celery with a little salt while it is cooking Sauté the onion having added a little more oil to the frypan. Add a little salt and cook until translucent. Add the tomatoes or the tomato paste (with a little water) to the onions, and allow their juice to evaporate. Add the capers and olives.
