Caponata Siciliana
A classic Sicilian sweet-and-sour vegetable dish of fried aubergine, celery, green olives, and capers in a rich agrodolce tomato sauce.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 290 kcal
Equipment
- •Wide frying pan
- •Slotted spoon
- •Saucepan
- •Colander
- •Paper towels
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- fat
- 21 g
- carbs
- 22 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 4 g
- calories
- 290 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Cut the aubergines into two-centimetre cubes and toss lightly with sea salt.
- 2
Boil the chopped celery in salted water for five minutes until tender-crisp, then drain thoroughly.
- 3
Heat olive oil in a wide frying pan until shimmering and hot.
- 4
Fry the aubergines in batches until deep golden brown, then transfer to paper towels to drain.
- 5
In a clean pan, gently cook the sliced onion in extra virgin olive oil until soft and translucent.
- 6
Add the blanched celery, green olives, rinsed capers, and pine nuts to the onions and cook for two minutes.
- 7
Pour in the tomato passata and simmer gently for ten minutes until the sauce thickens.
- 8
Dissolve the caster sugar in the white wine vinegar in a small bowl.
- 9
Fold the fried aubergines into the pan and pour over the vinegar-sugar mixture.
- 10
Simmer gently for five minutes, stirring carefully so the aubergine cubes remain intact.
- 11
Remove from the heat and allow the caponata to cool completely to room temperature before serving.
Chef's tips
Caponata develops a deeper, more harmonious flavour when prepared a day ahead. Never skip cooling the dish, as serving it piping hot masks the subtle agrodolce balance.
Ingredient substitutions
- pine nuts → toasted flaked almonds
- white wine vinegar → red wine vinegar for a slightly rounder acidity
Storage
Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Reheating
Caponata is traditionally enjoyed at room temperature and should not be reheated.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Serving the caponata hot straight from the stove, which makes the vinegar overly sharp.
- •Frying aubergines in cold oil, causing them to absorb excessive fat and become greasy.
- •Stirring vigorously during the final simmer, which crushes the tender aubergine cubes into a paste.
Serving suggestions
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