The heaviest cookbook on my shelf is Profumi di Sicilia, which I bought from a secondhand bookshop in Tor Marancia on the same afternoon I twisted my ankle. The accident had nothing to do with the 3.1kg book—it was already safely in the back seat of my car by the time I failed to notice the curb or the cyclist. Years later, the memory still comes back whenever I see the cream-colored cover of what might be not only the heaviest but also the most beautiful cookbook I own.
Written by journalist Giuseppe Coria and first published in 1981, Profumi di Sicilia is an encyclopedic journey through Sicilian cuisine—its aromas, ingredients, recipes, folklore, traditions, and origins. A big part of its charm lies in the vibrant photographs by Melo Minnella, which appear in pairs every few pages, filling the book with color.
The recipes are organized into familiar chapters and subchapters, each marked with small line drawings—a snail, a bowl, a potato, or a flask. Many recipes are written in paragraph form, often without precise measurements—just clear instructions on how to combine ingredients to make a dish. Others include quantities but leave plenty of room for improvisation. Giuseppe’s knack for knowing when to be general and when to be specific is both impressive and inspiring.
The book is especially useful when you have an ingredient you’re not sure what to do with. The recipes flow into one another in a narrative style, offering endless inspiration. Last week, that ingredient was eggplant—best in season from July to September but available year-round. Giuseppe includes 25 eggplant recipes, and my favorites are braised with potatoes and mint, caponata with capers and pine nuts, and in agrodolce (sweet-and-sour). This week’s recipe is a mix of all three.
Giuseppe suggests honey for sweetness and red wine vinegar for acidity. Warming them together in a pan gives you plenty of space to coat the roasted eggplant wedges before adding capers, pine nuts, and mint—a perfect match for the vegetable’s velvety texture.
Like caponata and scapece, this dish benefits from resting at least an hour before serving, with the eggplant turned occasionally to soak up the dressing. It pairs wonderfully with lamb chops (mint lovers will approve), roast chicken, or hard-boiled eggs. You can also serve it alongside other room-temperature dishes like tabbouleh, chickpea and roasted pepper salad, or a simple tomato salad.
### Sweet-and-Sour Eggplant with Capers, Pine Nuts, and Mint
Serves 4
Ingredients:
– 2 large or 4 slender eggplants
– Olive oil
– Salt
– 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
– 2 tbsp honey (or sugar)
– 2 tbsp small capers
– 1 tsp pine nuts (or chopped almonds)
– Handful of fresh mint leaves (left whole if small, torn if large)
Method:
1. Remove the eggplant stems and cut into long wedges (quarters or eighths, depending on size). Rub with olive oil and salt (using your hands works best), then arrange on a baking tray. Roast at 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5 for 25 minutes, turning a few times, until golden, soft, and wrinkled.
2. Meanwhile, warm the vinegar and honey in a frying pan, tasting to balance sweetness and sourness. Add 6 tbsp olive oil and taste again.
3. Add the roasted eggplant in batches, turning to coat, then transfer to a serving plate, leaving most of the sauce in the pan.
4. Stir in the capers, nuts, and mint, heat for a minute, then pour over the eggplant. Let it sit before serving.Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, turning it occasionally, before serving.
