INSTRUCTIONS:

• To make the caponata, peel the eggplant and cut the into 1 inch cubes. and transfer to a bowl of cold salty water for half an hour. Remove from bowl and let dry on a paper towel.

• Normally you would then deep fry the eggplant cubes, but to make a lighter fresher "summer" recipe, I prefer to either airfry (for 18 min on high), or grill in a grill basket until crispy but not burned.

• Blanch the chopped celery in salted boiling water, then set aside and reserve the water

• Place the onion in a saucepan and cover with half a glass of water. Cook until the water evaporates, then add the extra virgin olive oil and sauté the onions in it for a minute or two. Add the tomato paste, capers, olives, pine nuts, raisins, and the blanched celery with a little of its reserved cooking water. Cook the sauce for 5 minutes

• Add the fried eggplant cubes and mix gently. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar, add it to the caponata and cook for 2 minutes on a medium-high flame, then take off the heat and let it cool down

• Caponata is best served at room temperature. Sprinkle with the crushed toasted almonds and serve with warm bread