Directions

1. Prep the eggplant: Place cubed eggplant in a large colander and place the colander in a bowl to catch the liquid. Sprinkle with the 3 tablespoons of salt. Toss. Make sure every piece of eggplant has salt on it. Put a plate on top of the eggplant and weight it down with something heavy; like cans of beans, tomato sauce, a brick or a heavy pan. Let sit for 1 hour.
2. After 1 hour, discard the liquid and rinse the eggplant. Drain on a kitchen towel and dry well. Set aside.
3. For the recipe: Sauté the chopped onion, pepper and celery in the olive oil in a large, non-stick pan over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and the red pepper flakes. Cook about 3 minutes.
4. Add the canned tomatoes and raisins; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the veggies are cooked and the sauce is thick.
5. Add the capers, olives, sugar, red wine vinegar and cook about 1 more minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper and add a tablespoon or so of chopped basil.
6. Caponata can be served hot or at room temperature. To serve hot, spoon it over some cooked pasta like rigatoni or penne or over polenta. To eat at room temperature, scoop it up with large chunks of crusty Italian bread or spread on thick slices of Italian bread for a sandwich.
7. Kept in the refrigerator, it will last for several days.