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Caponata — Sicilian eggplant with olives and capers
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Source: https://recipheon.com/en/recipes/snacks/caponata-sicilian-eggplant-with-olives-and-capers
About this recipe
Caponata is a Sicilian appetizer of tender, browned eggplant with tomatoes, celery, green olives and capers. Wine vinegar balances the sweetness of the onion and a little sugar, giving the dish its distinctive agrodolce flavor. The vegetables keep their shape beneath a thick, glossy sauce, with basil adding freshness. It tastes best once it has cooled and the flavors have come together. Serve it as an appetizer to share or as a vegetable side dish.
Ingredients
Vegetables and flavorings
750 g eggplant without stems, skin on
150 g celery stalks
1 large onion, about 150 g peeled
400 g canned chopped tomatoes, including their juice
100 g green olives without pits, drained weight
2 tbsp capers in brine, about 20 g drained
8 fresh basil leaves
For frying and the agrodolce sauce
120 ml olive oil, 8 tbsp
50 ml water
45 ml white wine vinegar, 3 tbsp
20 g sugar
½ tsp salt, to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Steps
Cut the washed eggplant, with the skin on, into cubes about 2–2.5 cm across and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Remove any tough strings from the celery and cut the stalks into slices about ½ cm thick. Peel the onion and cut it into thin slivers. Have a deep nonstick frying pan about 28 cm in diameter ready.
Halve the drained olives. Briefly rinse the capers in a sieve under cold water and drain well. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar with the sugar; set aside until it is time to season the sauce. Wash and dry the basil leaves, but leave them whole for now.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in the pan. Add one-third of the eggplant and spread in a single layer. Fry over medium-high heat for about 10–12 minutes, turning every few minutes, until browned and soft in the center. Transfer to a bowl. Cook the remaining two batches the same way, using another 2 tbsp olive oil for each batch.
AI-generated Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring. Pour in the water, cover and simmer over low heat for 5–8 minutes, until the celery is soft and easy to cut with a knife. Simmer a little longer if needed. Remove the lid and let any visible liquid evaporate.
Add the tomatoes with their juice. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for about 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and no longer watery. Add the olives and capers and cook for another 2 minutes. The celery and onion should be soft but still distinct.
AI-generated Stir the vinegar and sugar again and pour into the sauce. Cook uncovered for 2–3 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the sharp vinegar aroma mellows. Add the pepper. Taste and add only as much salt as needed: the olives and capers are already salty. The sauce should have a distinct, balanced sweet-and-sour flavor.
Return the eggplant to the pan with all the juices and olive oil from the bowl. Gently fold with a wide spatula to coat the pieces in sauce without crushing them. Warm over low heat for 3–4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the basil leaves, torn by hand.
AI-generated Transfer the caponata to a wide dish and leave for about an hour to cool and let the flavors meld. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature as an appetizer or side dish, divided into 6 portions. If making it ahead, cover and refrigerate once cooled; take it out about 30 minutes before serving.
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