1. Place the diced eggplant in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let it sit for about 30 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the eggplant and sauté until it turns golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, add a bit more olive oil if needed. Add the chopped onion and celery. Sauté until they become soft and translucent. (If celery is too thick you can boil it first)
4. (Optional, the one you ate here doesn’t have any) Sauté the peppers until theymbecome soft and translucent.
5. Add green olives and capers to the skillet with all onion and celery (and peppers if wanted). Cook for a few more minutes, allowing the flavors to combine. Add tomatosauce to the skillet and mix well. After a few minutes add the eggplant.
6. In a small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
7. Pour the vinegar and sugar mixture into the skillet with the vegetables. Mix well and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
8. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Remember that the capers and olives are already salty, so go easy on the salt.
9. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the caponata cool to room temperature.
10. Just before serving, stir in the torn basil leaves for a fresh flavor, you can add also pinnoli.
    

Serve the caponata as a side dish, on top of crusty bread, or as a topping for grilled fish or meats.