About the Recipe
A traditional Sicilian appetizer or side dish featuring tender eggplant in a sweet and sour sauce with olives and capers. Perfect served on crusty bread or as part of an antipasti spread.
Prep Time:
15
Cook Time:
1 h 15 min
Serves:
3-4
Level:
Hard
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, unpeeled, cut into small cubes
- 2/3 cups olive oil
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 16 oz tomato puree
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery
- 1¼ cups green olives (1 jar of large stuffed olives), sliced
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
Seasonings and Aromatics
- Salt, for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons live vinegar (Migonette, Basil, Nonna, etc)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Preparation
1. Prepare the Eggplant
  - Wash and dry the eggplant, leaving it unpeeled
  - Cut into small cubes
  - Sprinkle with salt and place in a colander
  - Let stand for ½ hour
  - Drain and pat dry with paper towels
2. Cook the Eggplant
  - Heat 2/3 cup olive oil in a 12-inch skillet
  - Add eggplant and cook until browned and almost tender
  - Remove and drain on paper towels
3. Prepare the Base
  - In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons oil
  - Add onions and garlic
  - Cook until slightly wilted
  - Add tomato puree, water, and spices (oregano, basil, pepper)
  - Add celery
  - Simmer for 30 minutes
4. Final Cooking
  - Add the cooked eggplant, sliced olives, capers, sugar, vinegar, and parsley
  - Mix well
  - Cover and simmer for 30 minutes more, stirring occasionally
  - Remove from heat and let cool
Serving Suggestions:
Serve the caponata at room temperature. It can be enjoyed:
- On thin slices of French bread
- With crackers
- As a side dish by itself
Storage:
Caponata can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and often tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.