Caponato - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 c. olive oil
2 c. diced celery
1 medium eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
2 large tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. capers, drained
1/4 c. pimento-stuffed olives, sliced
1 (2 1/4 oz.) can sliced ripe black olives, drained
2 Tbsp. minced parsley
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Heat olive oil in large frying pan.
Add celery and cook until tender, stirring often.
Remove celery from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
Add eggplant to pan and saute over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned and tender enough to mash easily.
Add onion and continue cooking and stirring until onion is soft but not brown.
With slotted spoon, lift eggplant and onion from pan and add to celery.
Pour vinegar, sugar, tomatoes and water into pan.
Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring.
Return eggplant mixture to pan.
Stir in capers, olives and parsley.
Simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes.
Add salt if desired.
Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate in covered jar, at least overnight or for a week.
Serve at room temperature, using as an appetizer with toasted baguette slices.