Peel the eggplants and cut into 1 1/2 inch / 4 cm pieces. Place in a colander, sprinkling salt between the layers, and let drain for 1 hour.

In a large frying pan {It'd better be really big - I use a big dutch oven} over medium heat, warm 1/4 cup / 2 fl oz / 60 ml olive oil {I only use about a tablespoon}. Add the onions and saute till tender, 8-10 minutes. Add the peppers and saute till softened, about 5 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, rinse the eggplant pieces and pat dry. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. In another large frying pan over high heat, warm the remaining olive oil {I only add about 1/4 cup here, then another couple of tablespoons for the second batch}. Dip the eggplant in the flour, tapping off the excess. In batches, add to the hot oil and fry, turning as needed, until golden, 5-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

When all the eggplant pieces have been fried, add them to the onion-pepper mixture along with the tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until all the flavors are well blended and the tomatoes have broken down into a saucelike consistency, about 20 minutes.

Spoon into a bowl and garnish with the pine nuts. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This stew's really good - I've made it a couple of times lately. It makes a lot, but the leftovers are good too. One way I've used them is as a sauce for super-quick enchiladas for my breakfast: wrap three corn tortillas around leftover beans, put them in a microwavable lidded casserole, pour a bunch of stew on top, add a little hot sauce (I like buffalo brand chipotle sauce), and microwave for 4 1/2 minutes.

Pisto evolved from an ancient stew called alboronia, moorish for 'eggplant'. The original alboronia is thought to have included arabic seasonings such as cumin, saffron, and cilantro (fresh coriander). Over time, vegetables from the new world were introduced into the mix, as this recipe illustrates.

Source: 'Savoring Spain and Portugal'