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5.0 from 3 votes

Eggplant Caponata

Nothing says Italy more than a caponata that embraces the most typical flavors of southern Italy, most notably Sicily.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 1463 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean , French , Italian , Vegan

Ingredients

  • 2 lb eggplants
  • 1 big onion
  • 1 tbsp pine nuts
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cups ripe tomatoes diced
  • 1/2 cup green olives
  • 3 tbsp salt-cured capers
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6-8 basil leaves
  • 1 tbsp sugar or 2 tablespoons of honey, such as acacia or orange blossom honey
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 l peanut oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash and dice the eggplant, but don’t peel them.
  2. Place the eggplant pieces into a strainer or directly in the kitchen sink.
  3. Generously sprinkle with salt, and allow them to sit for 1 hour.
  4. Wash and dice the celery into very small pieces.
  5. Immerse the celery in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain it while still crisp and save the water as you will need it for the tomatoes.
  6. Bring the water to a boil again, immerse the tomatoes for 30 seconds, or until the skins start to peel back, and rinse them under cold running water; peel the tomatoes, discard the seeds, and cut them into coarse pieces.
  7. Toast the pine nuts in a nonstick pan for a few minutes. Stir them so that they don’t burn.
  8. Halve and pit the olives.
  9. Sweat the onion (cook them over very low heat until they turn translucent) in a large hot skillet with two tablespoons of oil.
  10. When the onion turns golden, add the tomatoes and the tomato paste; cook over medium heat without a lid for about 10 minutes.
  11. Season with salt and pepper and add the celery, the olives, and the capers (rinse away all the salt before using them).
  12. Cook for about 3-4 minutes.
  13. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar. Stir well and pour it on the vegetables.
  14. Let simmer until reduced.
  15. Cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes until all the flavors are well combined and the sauce gets smooth and thick.
  16. Rinse the salt off the eggplant in cold running water.
  17. Pat the eggplant dry with a paper towel.
  18. Fry the eggplant pieces in plenty of very hot extra virgin olive oil in two or three batches.
  19. When they turn golden, take them out with a skimmer and place the pieces on a tray lined with a paper towel in order to remove the excess oil.
  20. When you have fried all the eggplant, add the pieces to the other vegetables; stew over low heat for 5 minutes.
  21. Add the toasted pine nuts.
  22. Wash and add the basil leaves.
  23. Stir well and cook for a few more minutes so that they absorb all the flavor. 
  24. Serve it hot and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Calories 1463kcal (73%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 160g (246%) Saturated Fat 27g (135%) Polyunsaturated Fat 50g Monounsaturated Fat 75g Sodium 200mg (8%) Potassium 391mg (11%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 141IU (3%) Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Calcium 22mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1463

% Daily Value*

Calories 1463kcal 73%
Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 160g 246%
Saturated Fat 27g 135%
Polyunsaturated Fat 50g 294%
Monounsaturated Fat 75g 375%
Sodium 200mg 8%
Potassium 391mg 8%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 141IU 3%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Calcium 22mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.