How To Make Caponata
This spicy and highly flavorful Sicilian dish is usually made as an appetizer. Roasted tomatoes provide sourness with a light sweetness.
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1¾lbseggplants,cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½tspfine salt,divided, to taste
- 4tbspextra-virgin olive oil,divided
- 1medium yellow onion,chopped
- 1red bell pepper,chopped
- 2stalkscelery,thinly sliced
- freshly ground black pepper,to taste
- 2clovesgarlic,pressed or minced
- 14ozcrushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- ¼cuppitted green olives,roughly chopped
- ¼cupraisins
- 3tbspred wine vinegar,to taste
- 2tbspcapers,drained
- 1tbsphoney,or sugar, to taste
- ¼tspred pepper flakes,to taste
- 1bay leaf
- ¼cupfresh mint
- homemade crostini,optional, for serving
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the eggplant from sticking to it.
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Place the cubed eggplant on the prepared pan. Sprinkle it with ¼ teaspoon of the salt, drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, and promptly toss to coat.
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Roast the eggplant in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring halfway, until deeply golden.
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In the meantime, warm the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery.
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Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and about 10 twists of black pepper. Cook until the onions are tender and just starting to turn golden, about 9 to 12 minutes, stirring often
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Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine.
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Add the olives, raisins, vinegar, capers, honey, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
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Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the roasted eggplant and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in fresh herbs, reserving a small handful for garnish. Remove the pot from the heat.
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Adjust to taste to find your desired balance of tangy-sweet-spicy-salty. Add more vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, and/or salt. Transfer it to a serving bowl and top with the remaining herbs.
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For best flavor, allow the caponata to rest at room temperature for an hour or longer in the refrigerator. Serve warm or at room temperature, with crostini if desired.
Nutrition
- Calories: 183.94kcal
- Fat: 10.36g
- Saturated Fat: 1.46g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 7.20g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.24g
- Carbohydrates: 22.98g
- Fiber: 6.73g
- Sugar: 14.72g
- Protein: 2.98g
- Sodium: 360.16mg
- Calcium: 51.16mg
- Potassium: 650.45mg
- Iron: 1.52mg
- Vitamin A: 73.06µg
- Vitamin C: 40.26mg
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