Sweet & sour aubergines

Method

1. Top and tail the aubergines, removing a few strips of the skin along the length of each one as Vincenzo thinks too much skin makes the caponata bitter and chewy. Cut them into 2 cm cubes. Either deep-fry them in the sunflower oil until crisp and light brown, then drain on kitchen paper. Or, if roasting, toss the aubergines in a bowl with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper, then spread them out on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and cook in a preheated oven at 180°C for around 20 minutes or until crisp at the edges and golden brown.
2. Sweat the onion and garlic in the 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan with the celery, some salt and pepper and a little water over a low flame with the lid on. Check and stir frequently until the onion is soft – this will probably take 15–20 minutes.
3. Add the olives, capers and tomatoes to the celery in the frying pan and stir through. Turn up the heat to bring the mixture to a boil and add the sugar and 3 tablespoons of the vinegar. Stir and let the vinegar evaporate for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the balance accordingly for sweet and sour, adding more vinegar if necessary. Remove the garlic.
4. Pour the celery mixture over the fried aubergines and allow the dish to come to room temperature before serving. The flavour improves further if it is refrigerated overnight and reheated the next day. However, always allow the caponata to come to room temperature before serving, and add a scattering of cocoa powder, toasted nuts or mint leaves as you wish.