Sicilian eggplant caponata recipe

My childhood was a delicious vegetarian adventure, filled with eggplants and Sicilian recipes passed from my grandmother to my mother.

Eggplant nights were my favourite. Parmigiana, stuffed eggplants, pasta con le melanzane… and, above all, caponata.

Sicilian eggplant caponata recipe

WHAT IS CAPONATA?

Caponata is one of Sicily’s most iconic vegetable dishes.

Although eggplant is always the protagonist, every Sicilian family prepares it a little differently. Some add pine nuts, others almonds. Some make it sweeter, others more tangy. Depending on the town—and sometimes simply on the grandmother—you’ll find countless variations.

What they all have in common is the balance between sweetness and acidity, one of the signatures of Sicilian cuisine.

Like most traditional Sicilian recipes, caponata exists in countless family versions. This is the one that accompanied my childhood, inspired by my grandmother’s cooking.

Sicilian eggplant caponata

HOW TO SERVE CAPONATA

Caponata is traditionally served at room temperature, or even cold, allowing all the flavours to meld together.

It makes a wonderful antipasto with crusty bread, accompanies grilled fish or meat beautifully, and is one of those dishes that often tastes even better the following day.

Eggplant caponata recipe #gourmetproject
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caponata recipe

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2 servings
Author Claudia Rinaldi | Gourmet Project

Ingredients

  • 2 eggplants
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 onion
  • 1.5 cups tomato passata 200 gr – 7 oz
  • 1 cup of water
  • 2 handfuls white (or black or taggiasche) deseeded olives
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 3.5 oz peeled almonds (or pine nuts) 100 gr
  • 3.5 oz raisins 100 gr
  • 2 tablespoons pure honey
  • 6-8 basil leaves
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Dice the eggplants into medium/small pieces.

  2. In a large skillet, toast the almonds over medium heat until golden.

  3. Remove the almonds from the skillet and set them aside.

  4. In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the eggplants and fry them (medium/low heat) until well cooked. This should take you 20-30 minutes, depending on how big the pieces are.

  5. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the carrots, onion and celery.

  6. Remove the eggplants, add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and brown the onion. Add the carrots and celery and sauté them until tender - not squashy, about 6-8 minutes.

  7. Add the tomato puree and the basil leaves. Mix and, if it looks too dry, add water. Cook 8-10 minutes.

  8. Return the eggplants to the skillet, add the capers, olives, raisins, the toasted almonds, honey, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper.

    Mix and cook until the pungent smell of vinegar has vanished.

  9. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Eggplant caponata is delicious when hot, but paradisiac when cold.

Enjoy your caponata!

Claudia