Aubergine caponata

To correctly prepare aubergine caponata wash the aubergines, trim the tops and bottoms, and cut into pieces. Place in a colander, sprinkle with a handful of coarse salt and set aside for about 30 minutes to leach out any bitterness.
Trim and slice the peppers, onion and carrots and saute them in a pan with a drizzle of oil and a clove of garlic.
Add the tomato sauce, half a glass of vinegar and wait for it to evaporate off before adding the sugar.
Blanch the celery for a few minutes in a pan of boiling water and vinegar and then add it to the sauce.
Rinse the aubergines and dry them with kitchen paper. Pan fry them in hot oil until golden brown, then drain and dry off the excess oil.
Fry the peppers in the same way. Add the vegetables to the sauce with the olives cut into pieces, the almonds (after toasting them in a pan for a few minutes) and the capers.
Mix gently with a wooden spoon to keep the vegetables whole, adjust for salt and cook over a low heat for five minutes to let the flavours mingle.
All that’s left to do is serve your aubergine caponata with P.D.O. Valli Trapanesi oil and enjoy!