1. Cut the aubergine into cubes.
2.  Heat 4 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan and fry the aubergine until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Finely chop the onion, crush or slice the garlic, and cut the celery into thin strips. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil to the same pan and gently fry the onion, garlic, cappers, black olives and celery until soft and lightly golden.
4. Add the aubergine back to the pan and fry briefly.
5. Deglaze with the balsamic vinegar, then add the sugar, salt, and pepper.
6. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and let the caponata simmer gently for 1–2 hours over low heat until it becomes a rich, sweet-and-sour (agrodolce) sauce
7. Ideally, refrigerate the caponata overnight — this allows the flavours to deepen and blend beautifully.
   Not so much time? Try our preserved La Bio Idea caponata

To serve:
Serve the caponata at room temperature.

For a quick lunch:
Serve with creamy burrata and crispy piadina. Cut the piadinas into quarters, brush with olive oil, and bake for 5 minutes in a 200 °C oven until crispy. Tear open the burrata, spoon over a generous serving of caponata, and finish with a touch of fresh basil.