Sicilian Caponata Recipe
User Reviews
4.4
Sicilian Caponata Recipe
Description
This Sicilian Caponata recipe involves salting diced eggplant to reduce bitterness before patting it dry and frying it in olive oil until soft. Potatoes are fried separately until golden, followed by frying the bell peppers. The vegetables are combined with Gaeta or Kalamata olives, capers, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, sugar, and fresh basil or parsley. Cooking the mix together allows the flavors to meld into a balanced sweet and sour relish.
The dish is served at room temperature or slightly chilled, often accompanied by crusty bread for scooping. It works well as an appetizer, side dish, or antipasto. The frying of each vegetable in olive oil develops deep flavors and textures, with a soft yet slightly chunky consistency.
Alternatives include roasting the vegetables instead of frying for a lighter flavor or substituting fresh plum tomatoes or tomato paste and water for the canned tomato sauce, though cooking times must be adjusted to achieve the proper thickness. Garlic and carrots are not included here, adhering to a traditional version of the recipe.
Ingredients
- 20 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 5 for each vegetable
- 1 1/2 /2 pound eggplant diced into 1/2 inch pieces, unpeeled
- 1 onion diced, large
- 1 bell pepper cut into 1/2 inch pieces, small green
- 1 bell pepper cut into1/2 inch pieces, small red
- 2 potato diced, medium Yukon Gold
- 1/2 /2 cup Gaeta olives or kalamata olives, black
- 3 celery chopped into 1/2 inch pieces, stalks
- 14 1/2 /2 ounce tomato sauce canned
- 1/3 /3 cup red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons capers rinsed and drained
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 /2 cup basil or fresh parsley, fresh; chopped
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- bread as desired, crusty
Instructions
- Place the diced eggplant pieces in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Leave for 20-30 minutes so the eggplant loses its bitter taste. Rinse with water and transfer the eggplant to a large clean towel and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the extra virgin olive oil, toss the potatoes and cook them until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- Once the potatoes are ready, transfer them to a medium bowl lined with layers of paper towel and set aside. Discard the oil and clean the pan.
- In the same large skillet, add another 5 tablespoons of oil and start frying the bell peppers until soft and lightly browned. Transfer to the bowl with the potatoes and set aside. Discard the oil and clean the pan.
- In the same skillet, add another 5 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the eggplant. Watch it while it cooks, as it may need more oil. When it’s soft, transfer the cooked eggplant to the bowl with the other vegetables and set aside. Discard the oil and clean the pan.
- Return skillet to heat, add olive oil, onions and celery and cook, stirring continuously for about 10 minutes to allow them to caramelize.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the tomato and continue cooking for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the olives, vinegar, capers, sugar and all the veggies and mix together. You can add some kosher salt and black pepper to taste if you haven’t added it yet. Cook slowly over medium heat for a couple of minutes while mixing gently.
- Turn off the heat, add the chopped basil and mix the caponata and then let it cool to room temperature.
- Serve caponata in a large bowl along with a basket of crusty bread slices of your choosing.
Notes
- Replace canned tomato sauce with ripe plum tomatoes or crushed tomatoes, adjusting cooking time to reach desired consistency.
- Roasting the vegetables instead of frying results in a lighter flavor if preferred.
- Garlic and carrots are not traditional ingredients in classic eggplant caponata.
- Serve caponata with crusty bread as an appetizer or side.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 334 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 200g | |
| Calories | 334kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 29g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 21g | 105% |
| Sodium | 360mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 529mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 759IU | 15% |
| Vitamin C | 37mg | 41% |
| Calcium | 34mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.4
You'll Also Love
