Eggplant Caponata ('a capunata ri milinciani)

Desalinate the capers and olives by soaking them in cold water and changing the water every hour for at least 4 hours.

Cut the eggplants into large cubes, sprinkle with salt and leave them in a colander with a weight on top for at least 40 minutes to lose their bitterness.

Dry the eggplants with two cloths and fry them in hot oil until golden brown. Drain them and transfer to a large bowl.

Clean the celery and cut it into not too large pieces; blanch it in water until al dente.

In the last two minutes of cooking the celery, add the olives and capers, then drain, keeping the cooking water for the broth.

Dilute the tomato extract with a glass of hot water. Mix sugar and vinegar to create the sweet and sour flavor.

Prepare the onion mixture: slice the onion and fry it in a pan with oil; add the broth obtained from the celery to cook the onion without drying it out.

When the onion is cooked but still moist and creamy, add the celery with olives and capers, the extract and the tomato puree; cook for a few minutes while stirring.

Deglaze the preparation with the sweet and sour mixture (vinegar and sugar) and remove from heat. The onion mixture should be moist and creamy, not dry or watery.

Pour the hot mixture over the fried eggplants and gently combine.

Add the grated chocolate, part of the toasted almonds (and the pine nuts if desired) and mix again.

Sprinkle with the remaining dried fruit and let the caponata rest for at least 24 hours; serve at room temperature.