Eggplant – melanzane – finds its way in Italian dishes from north to south: eggplant parmigiano from Parma, sweet-and-tangy caponata from Sicily. Whether you bake, fry, or grill eggplant, you must cook it thoroughly to make sure it is soft and creamy inside. Undercooked eggplant is simply unpalatable. But uncooked eggplant takes on an entirely different character when it’s pickled with olive oil, garlic and a bit of hot pepper. Use long Chinese eggplant for this recipe. Make it a day or so in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to a couple of months.

Peel eggplant and cut, lengthwise, into ¼-inch-thick strips. Cut of each of these into 3-inch lengths. In a bowl, combine with salt and toss well. Refrigerate overnight. Drain the eggplant and remove as much liquid from each piece by wrapping in cheesecloth and squeezing. Combine squeezed eggplant with mint, garlic, vinegar and hot peppers. Place in a glass jar. Pour olive oil on top so that it covers the eggplant mixture, adding more if necessary. Cover tightly and refrigerate. You can eat the eggplant now, but it improves after a few days. Add more olive oil if you need to.