Caponata (Sicilian Eggplant Dish)
Caponata is a sweet and sour vegetable dish from Sicily in southern Italy. It’s made with eggplant and other vegetables like celery, onion, and tomato. You can enjoy it as an appetizer, side dish, or a light lunch.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants, (about 2 pounds / 900 grams total)
- ½ tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 medium red bell pepper, or 1/2 large bell pepper
- 3 small small celery stalks, or 2 large
- 2 tablespoons capers
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- olive oil, for frying
- 4 ripe tomatoes
- ½ cup green olives, pitted
- ½ cup wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup water, if needed (approximately)
- black pepper, to taste
- fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the eggplants. Then dice them into small cubes and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt, toss well, and cover with a plate. Place something heavy on top of the plate and set the bowl aside.
- Meanwhile, dice the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Also, peel and dice the tomatoes, and try to keep as much of their juices as possible. Set aside separately.
- If using salted capers, rinse them under running water.
- In a large pan over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until golden and fragrant. Stir frequently so they don't burn. Then remove them from the pan and set aside.
- Rinse the salted eggplant under cold water, then drain and pat dry gently.
- Add enough olive oil to the large pan to lightly fry the eggplant over medium heat. Once hot, add the eggplant cubes and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Transfer the cooked eggplant to a bowl and set aside.
- Carefully remove most of the olive oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the pan, and cook over medium heat until soft, golden, and fragrant (about 5 minutes). Stir regularly.
- Add the celery and cook for another minute.
- Add the diced tomatoes and mix well. Gently press the diced tomatoes with a spatula or spoon to help them break down and create a sauce.
- Add the olives and capers to the pan. Stir well, then add the cooked eggplant and toasted pine nuts. Stir again.
- Add the vinegar and sugar. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Mix well and add some of the water to the pan if the mixture seems dry.
- Cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, sugar, or vinegar to your liking.
- Transfer the caponata to a serving bowl and let it cool before serving, or chill it in the fridge and then serve. Garnish with fresh basil before serving (optional).
Notes
- You can use black, white, or striped eggplant. Just make sure to choose eggplants that are firm (a sign of freshness).
- Don't use strongly flavored olives, so they don’t interfere with the flavor of the final dish.
- Don’t skip the salting step. It helps release excess moisture from the eggplant so it becomes less spongy and absorbs less oil during frying (and will splatter less). It can also help reduce the bitterness in the eggplant, but this isn’t usually an issue with current-day eggplants anymore.
- Fry the eggplant in batches if needed. Overcrowding the pan can prevent the eggplant from browning.
- If frying the eggplant in olive oil is too much of a splurge, you can fry it in neutral oil (e.g. sunflower or vegetable oil), and then switch to olive oil to cook the rest of the ingredients.
- Go easy on the sugar and vinegar at first. Add a bit, mix well, and then taste to check the flavor. Work in increments until you find the right balance for you.
Nutrition
Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 832mg | Potassium: 1029mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 2098IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
