This is a variation to a recipe posted by simplyrecipes.com - one of my very favorite food blogs
Ingredients
1 pound eggplant, peeled and diced\
Salt
4 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup green olives, finely chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 Tablespoons small capers, drained
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
Toss the peeled and diced eggplant with 2 Tablespoon salt and put in a large bowl. Cover the bowl with a plate that just fits inside the bowl and weigh it down with a heavy can. Let it sit for about one hour.
Drain the eggplant, rinse with fresh water and pat dry with paper towels.
Heat 2 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery. Cook until the onions soften, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic. Cook 2 minutes more. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Wipe the pan with a paper towel, turn the heat to high and add the remaining olive oil. Let this heat until the oil is nearly smoking. Add the eggplant. Let cook for 1 - 2 minutes before stirring and then let it sit for a full minute before stirring again. Cook like this for 5-6 minutes.
Add the onion-celery mixture. Then add the tomatoes, pine nuts, capers and red pepper flakes. Stir well. Add the vinegar, sugar and tomato paste. Stir well. Cook, stirring occasionally until the eggplant is very soft, about 8 - 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Mix in basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Caponata can be refrigerated, covered up to 5 days.