Aubergine Caponata, San Marzano tomatoes, smoked ricotta & caprotta, Nocerella olives, capers, pine nuts & gremolata

INGREDIENTS

• 450g onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 celery stalk
• handful of baby celery leaves
• 225g Nocerella olives
• 4 tbsp capers
• 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 6 San Marzano tomatoes
• 250ml passata 
• 55 g caster sugar
• 1 lemon
• 100 ml red wine vinegar
• 1kg aubergines
• handful of flat-leaf parsley
• handful of basil
• sea salt and pepper to taste

MISE EN PLACE

• Peel and dice the onions into 1cm pieces.
• De-string and dice the celery into 1cm pieces
• Finely slice the celery leaves.
• Pit the olives by pressing down firmly with the flat of a knife, then break up into pieces.
• Rinse and drain the capers.
• Peel and finely grate the garlic.
• Wash the parsley and basil leaves and finely chop into thin ribbons.
• Zest the lemon.
• Add 1 of the grated garlic cloves to the lemon zest and parsley to make a gremolata.

METHOD

• Fry the onions, celery and garlic on a low heat  in 4 tablespoons of olive oil, until soft and translucent.
• Add the chopped tomatoes with their liquid and cook over a high heat, stirring, until reduced by half.
• Add the olives, grated garlic and capers to the paste, together with the sugar and vinegar and simmer gently over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring from time to time. Transfer to a bowl.
• Dice the aubergines into 2cm pieces and fry over a medium heat in the remaining olive oil in a non-stick pan until lightly browned, season the aubergines with a little salt, add them to the sauce and leave to cool.
• Once cooled season with salt and pepper to taste, add the celery leaf, half of the gremolata and gently stir together.
• Mix the goats cheese and smoked ricotta together, loosening with a little water to make a thin cream – then flick over the dish, Jackson Pollack style.
• Garnish with the rest of the gremolata, basil ribbons and pine nuts.
• Finish with milled black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to serve.

BATTERIE DE CUISINE:

• Cooking pot
• Wooden spoon
• Liquidiser
• Knife
• Chopping board
• Ladle
• Serving vessel
• Bowls
• Pepper mill
• Tea towel