Caponata (Sicilian Sweet and Sour Eggplant)
Local name: Caponata siciliana
In short: Fried eggplant, celery, olives and capers in a sweet and sour tomato sauce with vinegar. A Sicilian antipasto that tastes best a day after making it. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 220 kcal
Caponata is Sicily's sweet and sour vegetable dish, and eggplant is its heart. The cubes are fried until golden, then folded with celery, onion, tomato, olives and capers in a glossy sauce sharpened with vinegar and softened with a little sugar. It is served at room temperature as an antipasto, on toasted bread, or beside fish and meat, and it always tastes better the day after you make it, when the flavors have settled.
Instructions
- Toss the eggplant with the salt in a colander and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse quickly and pat dry with a towel.
- Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant in 2 batches for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until golden and tender, adding more oil as needed. Set aside on paper towels.
- In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Cook the celery for 5 minutes until just tender but still a little crisp, then move it to the plate with the eggplant.
- Add another tablespoon of oil and cook the onion for 8 minutes until soft and golden. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in the olives, capers, vinegar and sugar and simmer for 2 minutes. Return the eggplant and celery to the pan and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring.
- Taste and balance with salt, sugar or vinegar. Cool to room temperature, then stir in the basil and the pine nuts, if using. Serve at room temperature.
Tips
- Make caponata a day ahead and keep it in the fridge, where it lasts 5 days. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
- Serve it on grilled bread, beside grilled fish or chicken, or stirred through pasta. Many Sicilian versions add raisins as well as pine nuts.
Questions and answers
Is caponata served hot or cold?
It is served at room temperature, or slightly chilled. Cold mutes the flavors, so take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving.
Can I make caponata without frying the eggplant?
Yes. Toss the cubes with oil and roast them at 220°C (425°F) for 25 minutes, turning once. The caponata will be lighter and a little drier.
How long does caponata keep?
It keeps for 5 days in the fridge in a covered container, and the flavor improves over the first couple of days. It also freezes for up to 3 months.
How long does it take to make Caponata (Sicilian Sweet and Sour Eggplant)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Caponata (Sicilian Sweet and Sour Eggplant)?
About 220 kcal per serving, with 2 g of protein, 22 g of carbohydrates and 14 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 220 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
