Preparation

• To prepare the Sicilian Caponata Catanese Style with Potatoes, start by washing the eggplant and cutting it into cubes. Place a layer in a colander, sprinkling a moderate amount of coarse salt on top.

  Repeat until all the eggplant cubes are used. Cover with a small plate topped with a weight and let it sit for about half an hour.

  Do not extend the time too much as the eggplants might absorb too much salt.

  Desalt the capers by rinsing them well under running water, then leaving them in a small bowl of cold water for at least half an hour.

  In a small bowl, soak the raisins in warm water.

  Toast the pine nuts in a non-stick pan over medium heat, stirring often until golden brown.

  Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into cubes, optionally using a mandoline slicer and place them in a bowl covered with water until ready to fry.

  This step will prevent the potatoes from turning brown and will also help remove some starch, resulting in a crunchier fry.

  Wash and clean the peppers by removing the stem, the attachment point, seeds, and internal filaments.

  Cut into pieces.

  Clean the tenderest celery stalks by removing the leaves and the outer fibrous layer of the stalk.

  Blanch the celery pieces for 5 minutes in boiling water, then drain.

  If a milder taste of pitted green olives is desired, blanch them for 5 minutes and then drain. They can be left halved, but I prefer to cut each olive into four parts.

  After washing the cherry tomatoes, remove the skin and seeds, then cut into pieces.

  Also cut the onion into small pieces.

  Place a non-stick pan, not too large, over the heat with plenty of seed oil.

  When small bubbles form around the handle of a wooden spoon placed in the oil, it’s ready for frying.

  Rinse the eggplants well to remove all salt, and after drying them with a clean kitchen towel, place them in the oil.

  Once fried, place the eggplants on absorbent paper.

  Then fry the peppers, also after patting them dry with a towel. When ready, remove them with a slotted spoon and place on absorbent paper.

  If desired, the peppers can be fried in the same oil as the eggplants.

  For frying the potatoes, I recommend changing the oil, as the potatoes would absorb the odors released from previous fryings.

  For a healthy fry, it’s also a good practice to frequently change the oil to avoid keeping it at high temperatures for too long.

  Before frying, the potatoes should also be dried well with a towel, and after frying, placed on absorbent paper.

• Quando preparati tutti i vari ingredienti, si potrà passare alla realizzazione vera e propria della caponata alla catanese.

  In a large non-stick pan, sauté the onion in extra virgin olive oil, add the celery, and cook until the onion and celery are golden and soft.

  
  To limit the use of oil, I usually add a few tablespoons of water for a lighter sautéing.

  Then add the olives, capers, toasted pine nuts, and raisins, let it flavor for a few minutes, and lightly salt.

  Be careful when adding salt, as this dish contains salty ingredients like capers and olives; the risk of ending up with a slightly too flavorful dish is always present.

  It’s better to proceed with caution, tasting during the various preparation phases.

  Add the tomatoes and cook for about five minutes or a little more, until everything is well flavored, cooked, and there is no liquid at the bottom.

  Add the eggplants, peppers, fried potatoes, and basil, stir.

  Adjust the salt, add half a cup of white wine vinegar, and a generous tablespoon of sugar.

  Let the vinegar evaporate for a few minutes while stirring.

  The Sicilian Caponata Catanese Style with Potatoes is now ready.

  It will be much better in the following days.