Roasted Sausages with Sicilian Caponata

As a Brit, I have a special place in my heart for sausages. But given it's impossible to find real English bangers anywhere local (at least where I've tried) sweet Italian sauces are the next best thing. They're quick to crisp up in the oven and have the perfect, warming spices for a crisp fall day.

The ideal pairing for these succulent guys? Sicilian caponata. The tanginess and brininess of the olives, capers and tomatoes is perfect to cut through the richness of the pork, plus leftovers are great to have around during brunch - just throw an egg on it.

Caponata Recipe from The Italian Dish Blog

• 1 large eggplant, cubed
• 1 T salt
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup sliced green olives
• 3 T capers
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 T sugar
• Pepper
• 6 sweet Italian sausages

Place eggplant in a colander and toss with salt. Leave for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400*.

Place eggplant on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. 

Place sausages on another baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes to be golden on all sides.

While eggplant and sausages roasting, saute diced onion in the 1/4 c olive oil until translucent. Add tomatoes, simmer 5 minutes. Add olives, capers, vinegar and sugar, simmer for 15 minutes. Add the roasted eggplant and stir to combine.

Place a portion of the caponata on two plates and top with the roasted sausages. Leftover caponata can be served cold or at room temperature.