Caponata, the Sicilian sweet-and-sour cooked vegetable dish, is my go-to recipe to make with an aubergine in the summer, but its construction requires a bit of time – and copious amounts of olive oil. Well, this is the speedier, herbier and (slightly) lighter salad version, perfect if you’re looking for something that works nicely with other summery dishes or perhaps a piece of grilled meat. It’s also amazing with a ball of mozzarella and some garlicky toast (what isn’t, though?).
Serves 4
aubergines 2 large (about 700g), sliced into 1cm thick rounds
olive oil 4 tbsp
dried oregano ½ tbsp
ripe tomatoes 3 big (500-600g), cut into chunks
celery stalks 3, finely sliced on an angle, any leaves reserved
mint and parsley leaves a big handful of each, roughly chopped
pine nuts 40g, toasted, to serve
olives 30g, stoned and chopped, to serve
