Sicilian eggplant caponata is one of the best ways to utilize eggplant. Caponata is a salty, sweet and sour appetizer, bursting with flavor. It’s perfect by itself, on top of toasted bread or crackers, or used as a topping for sandwiches.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds eggplant
1 cup celery
1 cup red onion
1 cup pitted green olives
¼ cup pignoli nuts
¼ cup parsley
â…› cup capers
¼ cup raisins
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425F and begin by cutting 2 pounds of eggplant into approximately 1″ cubes.
Place all the cut eggplant into a large glass bowl and toss with a ½ cup of olive oil, a tsp of kosher salt and a ½ tsp of black pepper. Use enough oil to coat all the pieces.
On a large baking sheet (line it with parchment paper to avoid sticking) spread out the eggplant. Keep the pieces from touching and if necessary use 2 sheet pans. Place the eggplant on the middle oven rack and roast for 25-30 minutes.
While the eggplant is roasting begin cutting 1 cup of celery into smallish pieces like shown.
Cut 1 cup of onion into half-moon strips. You can cut the onion and celery any way you want! Some people like a chunkier caponata while others prefer a smoother one.
Toast a ¼ cup of pignoli (pine) nuts in a separate pan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or so. Be careful, they burn easily. When finished toasting, remove the nuts and set them aside.
In a large pan saute the onion and celery for a few minutes in a ¼ cup of olive oil over medium heat. Again this is a preference/textural thing. If you like crunchy vegetables in your caponata only saute them for a minute or so.
Add in one 6-ounce can of tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes longer, spreading the paste all around the pan.
After 25-30 minutes the eggplant will be nicely roasted as shown. Use a fork and make sure they are soft on the inside and fully cooked. If not, another 5 minutes in the oven is fine.
To the pan add 1 cup of pitted good quality green olives, an ⅛ cup of rinsed capers, and a ¼ cup of raisins. Also, add 2 Tbsp of sugar and a ¼ cup of red wine vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.
Add in the eggplant and pine nuts and cook for 3 more minutes to ensure the caponata is well mixed. Be careful while mixing in the eggplant to avoid mashing it too much. A gentle stir with a wooden spoon is all that’s required.
Finally, add a ¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley, give it one more stir, and a taste test. Adjust salt, pepper, and sugar if necessary. If satisfied, let it cool, then place it in a container and refrigerate.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
Zucchini – Add some zucchini to this caponata for a nice twist. Pan roast 2 cups of the same size pieces as the eggplant for the last 20 minutes of cooking.
Peppers – Use 2 large bell peppers, cut up into bite-size chunks for added texture and flavor.
Carrots – Roast 1 cup of carrots with the eggplant for added flavor or just sear them in the pan with the onions and celery to introduce a crunchy texture.
Anchovies – It wouldn’t be Sicilian cooking without talking about this ingredient. Saute 3-4 chopped anchovies until they melt with the celery and onion.
Herbs – Mint and basil are excellent additions!
