Serves: 8
Total Calories: 121

2 medium eggplant about 12 ounces each, cut into 1-inch dice
salt
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups tomato purée
2 ribs tender celery, chopped
1 cup choped green olives
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
vegetable oil for frying
2 medium red bell peppers, cut into bite-size pieces

1 Layer the eggplant pieces in a colander, sprinkling each layer with salt. Place the colander over a plate and let stand 1 hour.

2 In a large saucepan, cook the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato, celery, olives, capers, sugar, and vinegar and stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes.

3 In a large heavy skillet, heat 1/2 inch of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add a piece of pepper. If it sizzles rapidly, the oil is hot enough. Carefully add the remaining peppers. Cook until the peppers are tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the peppers with a slotted spoon and add them to the tomato sauce.

4 Rinse the eggplant pieces and pat them dry with paper towels. Add more oil to the skillet if necessary. Fry the eggplant in batches until tender and browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to paper towels to drain.

5 Stir the eggplant into the tomato sauce and simmer 10 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 8
Total Calories: 121
Calories from Fat: 60

More Recipes from the Cook'n in Italy Cookbook:
* Antipasti
Asparagus and Egg Salad
Asparagus and Prosciutto Rolls
Baked Scallops with Marsala and Almonds
Basil Fritters
Beans and Greens Toasts
Black Olives with Citrus
Broccoli Toasts
Chicken Liver Toasts
Chicken and Olive Pâté
Chickpea Toasts
Eggplant Caviar
Eggplant and Tomato Toasts
Figs and Melon with Prosciutto
Fried Sage Leaves
Garlic Bruschetta
Goat Cheese with Herbs
Goat Cheese, Valle d'Aosta Style
Gorgonzola Biscuits
Gorgonzola-Stuffed Endive
Grilled Cheese and Prosciutto Skewers
Grilled Mozzarella
Lemon Meatballs
Little Orange Rice Balls
Marinated Mushrooms
Marinated Olives
Melted Cheese, Silversmith's Style
Montasio Cheese Crisps
Mozzarella in a Carriage
Mushroom Pâté of the Two Sicilies
Mushrooms Stuffed with Mozzarella and Prosciutto
Olive Oil Dip
Parmesan Custards
Peppers Piedmontese
Piedmontese Hot Bath
Poor Man’s Caviar
Provolone in Pizza Sauce
Roasted Figs in Prosciutto
Roasted Olives
Roasted Pepper Rolls
Roasted Radicchio with Mozzarella and Anchovies
Roman Skewered Mozzarella Sandwiches
Salt Cod Puree
Scallops al Gratin
Seafood Salad
Sicilian Chickpea Flour Fritters
Spicy Olives in the Pan
Stuffed Eggs
Sun-Dried Tomato Spread
Sweet-and-Sour Eggplant
Telephone-Wire Rice Balls
Tomato Bruchetta
Tomato and Avocado Bruschetta
Tuna Spread
Tuna-Stuffed Eggs
Tuna-Stuffed Peppers
Veal-Stuffed Mushrooms
Walnut Cheese Wafers
Warm Ricotta in Fresh Tomato Sauce
Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini and Cheese Toasts