Drowning in abundant garden produce, including eggplant? This is one of the rare recipes that allows you to water bath can eggplant as an ingredient. Brilliant over pasta, of course, but this also makes a great topping for crusty bread as an appetizer.

Water Bath Canned Eggplant Puttanesca
Adapted from the The All New Ball Book Of Canning And Preserving

6 lbs tomatoes (before prep)
2 lbs eggplant
3 sweet red peppers (about 1 lb before prep)
3 large onions (about 1 lb )
1 1/2 cups chopped kalamata olives
1 3.5 oz capers, drained
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (6% acidity)
2 teaspoons salt (OR non-bitter, non-clouding salt sub)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced (I used roasted frozen garlic “bombs” instead)
1 tablespoon anchovy paste (or chopped anchovy - optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Line two rimmed baking sheets (half sheet pans) with foil. Core and dice tomatoes into large chunks and place on baking sheets. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, until tomatoes are releasing juices and starting to char.

While tomatoes are roasting, prep the rest of your ingredients. Peel and quarter onions. Stem peppers, cut in half and remove seeds. Pit (if needed) and chop the olives. Peel and mince the garlic. Stem and chop eggplant into ½ to 1 inch chunks (do this last, as it will brown when exposed to the air).

Remove tomatoes from the oven, pull off skins with your fingers, chop into smaller pieces if needed and place into a large heavy bottomed pot.

Clean and reline the sheet pans, place onions, peppers and eggplant on the trays, and roast for 30 minutes, until the eggplant is tender.

When eggplant and peppers are done, dice the peppers and onions and add everything to the pot. (Note original recipe calls for peeling the peppers after roasting. I did not bother.

Add all remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered.

Ladle sauce into heated jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims, place lids and put into a water bath canner. Process jars for 45 minutes; increase time as needed for your altitude.