Grilled Eggplant Caponata Bruschetta With Ricotta Salata Recipes

EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Dice the eggplant into ½ to 1 inch cubes (skin on). Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of kosher salt over the eggplant and toss to combine. Place the eggplant in a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse the eggplant to remove the salt and pat dry with paper towels; set aside.
• In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the diced onion and celery and cook for about 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, then remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.
• To the skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the drained and dried eggplant and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Add in the onion celery mixture, tomatoes, olives, bell peppers, capers, red wine vinegar, sugar, oregano, and remaining ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and reduce heat to low. Continue to cook until all of the vegetables have softened, about 20 minutes.
• Let caponata cool to room temperature before serving, or cover and refrigerate and served cold. Stir in or top with fresh basil before serving.

GRILLED EGGPLANT BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Place the eggplant in a colander. Sprinkle generously with salt and let stand 30 minutes. (This removes the excess water from the eggplant.) Rinse the eggplant and arrange in a single layer on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Pat dry. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat (see Cook's Note).
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Brush the eggplant and bread slices with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and pepper.
• Line a small rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Toss the grape tomatoes, vinegar, honey and the remaining tablespoon olive oil on the foil. Bake the tomatoes until they burst, about 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grill the eggplant until browned and tender, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Grill the bread until toasted and grill marks appear, 1 minute on each side. Rub the cut sides of the garlic on the bread. Set aside.
• Transfer the tomatoes to a medium bowl. Coarsely chop the eggplant and add to the tomatoes. Add the chopped basil, then season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon the ricotta onto the grilled bread. Top with the eggplant mixture and garnish with additional basil. Cut the bread in half, if desired.

GRILLED CAPONATA

Steps:

• Heat your grill to high. Brush the eggplant, onion slices and tomatoes with olive oil and season each type of vegetable with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Grill the eggplant for 6 to 8 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Grill the onions for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and just cooked through. Grill the tomatoes for 2 minutes per side until charred and slightly soft. Remove to a cutting board and cut into quarters.
• Remove the vegetables from the grill to a cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer the vegetables to a medium bowl and add the olives, capers, raisins and pine nuts.
• Mix together the garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar and honey in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup of olive oil and whisk until emulsified.
• Pour the dressing over the vegetables, add the parsley and stir gently to combine. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving.

GRILLED EGGPLANT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Soak currants in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain and put aside.
• Brush eggplant and onion slices with olive oil on both sides, using the 1/3 cup oil.
• Grill onion slices over a medium-hot fire until lightly charred but cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Grill eggplant slices for about 5 minutes on each side, until slices are soft inside and outsides have become slightly charred.
• Remove eggplant and onion slices and cool briefly. Remove outer skin from onion slices.
• Drain tomatoes, reserving juice. In a large bowl mix reserved tomato juice with cocoa powder until cocoa dissolves. Chop tomatoes and add to mixture. Then mix in currants, capers, anchovies, green olives, calamata olives, jalapeno pepper and parsley. Coarsely chop eggplant and onions and fold into tomato mixture. Stir in vinegar and the 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with kosher salt. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

BRUSCHETTA WITH CAPONATA

Steps:

• Make the caponata: In a heavy skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat until it hot but not smoking, in it cook the eggplant, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it is tender, and transfer it to a bowl. To the skillet add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and in it cook the onion and the celery over moderate heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the olives, the capers, the vinegar, the sugar, the raisins, the pine nuts, and the tomatoes and cook the mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it is cooked through and the celery is tender, and transfer it to the bowl. Stir in the parsley, let the caponata cool, and chill it, covered,overnight. Season the caponata with salt and pepper.
• Make the bruschetta: Grill the bread on an oiled rack set about 4 inches over glowing coals for 1 minute on each side, brush the toasts on one side with the oil, and sprinkle them with salt to taste.
• Top each toast generously with some of the caponata, arrange 2 or 3 toasts on each of 4 plates, and garnish each serving with the parsley sprigs.