Eggplant Antipasto…Yes, Please!

Big Guy and I love to hang out at Charlie Gitto's on the Hill .  As you can imagine, the lockdown was stressful for all of us.  As we awaited the day we could return in person, I started to think about their eggplant antipasto.  It is always a favorite as part of their antipasto appetizer. 

I turned to Stanley Tucci’s cookbook, The Tucci Cookbook, for a fix last year.  Again, I was not disappointed and was able to put my crop of eggplants and tomatoes to use from the garden. 
The recipe is for a caponata which is sweet and sour at the same time.  The use of olive oil, tomatoes, eggplant, onions, celery, capers, and pine nuts make this a perfect rustic fall dish.  In case you are wondering about the sweet and sour part, you also add in some sugar and red wine vinegar.  Big Guy toasted up some rustic bread and I added some cheese, salami and roasted red peppers to make a decadent meal paired with a great bottle of Pinot Noir.

Obviously, this is becoming a favorite in our kitchen.  However, it is even better when someone else makes it, so I see reservations soon to Gitto’s!