Sicilian Bruschette

By dette

caponata, a sweet, tangy Sicilian eggplant-pepper relish, becomes donright addictive spooned over toasts with mild, tramy ricotta cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf (1 lb) cruwty Italian bread such as ciabatta, cut
• into 1/3 inch thick slices.
• 6 about 6 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch dice (about 4c)
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 c. each chopped celery, red bell pepper, and green
• olives
• 1/4 c. each red wine vinegar and tomato paste
• 1/2 c. raisins
• 1/2 c. pine nuts, toasted
• 2 tsp each kosher salt and sugar
• 1/4 c. each chopped basil, oregano, and flat-leaf parsley
• leaves.
• 1 c. ricotta cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350. Lay bread on a baking hseet and bruh with about 2 tbp oil. Bake until toasted and light golden brown, about 5 mintues. Set aside.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook eggplant, stirrin goften, until softened and starting to brown aobut 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In same pan, cook garlic in remaining 2 tbsp oil, stiring until fragrant, about 1 mintues. Add celery, bell pepper and olives, stirrin got combine and ccook un til softened, 5-8 mintues. Stit in 1/4c. water, the vinegar, tomato paste, raisins and pine nuts and cocok until heated through. Stir in reserved eggplant and the salt and sugar, then mix in herbs.

Serve caponata with ricottta on the toasted bread.
Make ahead: Caponata and toasts up to 2 days; chilie caponata and store toast in a resealble plastic bag at room temperature.