Caponata

Published on December 20, 2019 | By
caponata

Caponata is a traditional Sicilian dish. There are many interpretations of caponata. However, the basic ingredients include eggplant, tomatoes, onion, celery, olives and capers. Beyond that, I have seen recipes that include a little chocolate, vodka, anchovies, and raisins. A little sweet and a little salty make this eggplant appetizer tantalizing. Serve with crusty french bread or toasts.

    • Prep Time
    • Minutes
    • Cook Time
    • Minutes
    • Yield
    • 4 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs of eggplant, peeled and cut into cubes
  • 1 TBSP of salt
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 rib of celery, chopped
  • 1 cup of fresh Roma tomatoes diced or 1 cup of canned tomatoes
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 TBSP tomato paste
  • 1 cup of green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup of capers
  • 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup of golden raisins
  • 1 roasted red pepper, peeled and minced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 TBSP pine nuts

Instructions

  1. Peel and cut the eggplant into 1" cubes. Place eggplant cubes in a colander, toss with salt and allow to drain for about an hour.
  2. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat and add onions, celery and garlic. Cook until softened. Remove vegetables and set aside.
  3. Rinse salt from the eggplant and then allow it to dry briefly on paper towels. Add eggplant cubes to hot oil in skillet. Cook eggplant until browned for about 10 minutes.
  4. Return vegetables to the skillet. Add tomatoes and roasted red pepper and stir to combine. Add remainder of ingredients except pine nuts and continue to cook over medium heat for about 15 - 20 minutes. Taste eggplant to see if it is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Some people like to add a little sugar at this point if they feel that it is too acidic.
  5. Caponata is always better if made a day or two before serving. Allow the caponata to come to room temperature and serve with crackers, toasts or french bread slices. You could also use it as a topping on grilled bread to make bruschetta.
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