Mietta Family Eggplant For Antipasto

Total Time: 49 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 48 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant, the big classic pear shaped type
• 2 lemons
• rock salt, to taste
• red wine vinegar, to taste
• fresh oregano, to taste
• fresh garlic, chopped, to taste
• extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• fresh parsley, chopped, to taste

Recipe

• 1 pick a ripe but firm eggplant from the garden.
• 2 wash, peel and then cut into big chunks.
• 3 squeeze liberal amounts of lemon over the top then coarsely grate with a cheese grater. cover immediately with rock salt.
• 4 add more lemon juice which helps stop the eggplant turning brown and put it in the fridge.
• 5 after 24 hours, remove the eggplant from the rock salt. do not wash the salt off - just shake off the excess.
• 6 cover with red wine vinegar and leave for 24 hours in the fridge.
• 7 strain and leave the eggplant in a colander for a couple of hours to get rid of the moisture.
• 8 toss with fresh oregano, raw garlic and olive oil.
• 9 keep aside for a half day and then put into sterilised jars. needs to have sufficient olive oil to cover all of the eggplant.
• 10 this lasts for months.
• 11 add parsley just before serving.
• 12 use straight as part of an antipasto platter or make an eggplant sauce by frying in butter as an accompaniment to meat.