Caponata, a delicious aubergine and tomato vegetable dish is made in every household in Sicily, each cook using their own family recipe.

It’s based on aubergines and tomatoes and flavoured with red onions capers, pine nuts and raisins.

Herbs and a red wine syrup add the final magic that transforms a vegetable stew into a mouth- watering treat. Serve with big chucks of sour dough bread, drizzled on hot grilled polenta or tossed over chunky pasta.

There are a lot of steps but make it once and you’ll create your own recipe and make it all the time.

CAPONATA ON ANYTHING

Ingredients:

1 large aubergine

Sea salt

Extra virgin Olive oil

800g plum tomatoes ( or a 450g tin tomatoes)

1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced

1 -2 garlic cloves

2 sticks celery, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 tablespoon stoned oiled black olives

1 tablespoon salted capers, soaked

1 dessert spoon toasted pine nuts

1 dessert spoon soaked raisins

Black pepper

Bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Bunch fresh basil

Method:

Prepare the aubergines into 2cm cubes.

Lay in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with 2-3 tablespoons sea salt.

Cover with a plate and leave for 2 hours or so to extract as much of the liquid as possible.

Prepare the tomatoes by dipping them in boiling water, skinning de seed. Cut into rough cubes.

Pre-heat the oven 180C/Gas 4

Toast the pine nuts on a tray and toast for 5 minutes taking care not to burn.

Soak the salted capers in a small bowl of water.

Soak the raisins in water to plump them up.

Dissolve the red wine vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and boil for 5 minutes to make a syrup.

Now, with all the prep done you are ready to cook!

Heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide shallow frying pan.

Add the garlic, red onions and celery; sauté gently until softened.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 25 minutes or so to make a fresh tomato base. Season lightly.

Pat the cubed aubergines dry and lay them in a single layer on a baking tray.

Drizzle generously with olive oil and roast at the top of the oven until crispy, turning to bake all sides.

Now all you have to do is assemble all the ingredients.

In a deep bowl add the warm tomato sauce, roasted aubergines, black olives, rinsed and drained capers, toasted pine nuts and raisins.

Dress to taste with the vinegar syrup and fold everything together.

Check seasoning.

Add the chopped parsley and basil leaves.

Leave covered for an hour.

Don’t refrigerate.