A traditional sweet-and-sour eggplant based dish from Sicily, perfect served cold or at room temperature. Gets even better with time!
Pair with crusty bread, grilled fish, or enjoy on its own as an appetizer or side dish. Makes a perfect vegetarian antipasto or mezze. Caponata is now found throughout the Mediterranean, with at least 37 known Sicilian variations!
INGREDIENTS
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1.5 kg round eggplants (preferably seedless), cut into 1.5 cm cubes
- 300 g celery, peeled and thinly sliced
- 300 g yellow capsicum (bell pepper), cut into 1.5 cm pieces
- 250 g Tropea red onion (or any sweet red onion), thinly sliced
Other Additions
- 150 g Sicilian green olives, pitted and quartered
- 60 g pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 50 g salted capers, thoroughly rinsed
- Fresh basil, to taste
- Fine sea salt, to taste
Sweet & Sour Sauce
- 60 g fine caster sugar
- 80 g white vinegar
- 60 g tomato paste (double concentrate)
Oils
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 L olive oil (for deep frying)
Directions
1. Prep the Vegetables
- Slice onions thinly.
- Peel and thinly slice celery.
- Cut eggplants and capsicums into 1.5 cm cubes.
- Pit and quarter the olives.
- Rinse the salted capers under cold water and drain well.
- Toast pine nuts in a dry pan until golden (no oil needed). Set aside.
2. Fry the Eggplants
- Heat olive oil (for frying) in a deep, high-sided pan.
- Fry the eggplant cubes in batches until golden brown.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
3. Fry the Capsicum
- Using the same oil, fry the yellow capsicum pieces until lightly browned and soft.
- Drain on paper towels and set aside.
4. Cook the Base
- In a large sauté pan, heat 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.
- Add the onions and fry until light golden.
- Add the celery and cook until softened and slightly browned.
- Add rinsed capers, olives, and toasted pine nuts. Sauté briefly.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
5. Make the Sweet & Sour Sauce
- In a bowl, whisk together:
- 60 g sugar
- 80 g white vinegar
- 60 g tomato paste
- Pour into the pan with the cooked vegetables.
- Turn up the heat and stir until the vinegar smell has evaporated (a few minutes).
- Turn off the heat.
6. Assemble the Caponata
- In a large bowl or container, combine the fried eggplants, capsicums, and the warm sweet-sour vegetable mix.
- Add plenty of fresh basil and gently mix everything together.
- Taste and adjust salt if needed.
7. Rest & Serve
- Let the caponata cool to room temperature.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight (best after 1–2 days).
- Before serving, bring back to room temperature — leave out for 2 hours for best flavor.
History of Caponata
The origin of the word “Caponata” is debated:
- From “Capone”: A Sicilian name for mahi-mahi, a fish once served with sweet and sour sauce on aristocratic tables. Those who couldn’t afford fish used eggplant instead.
- From Latin “Caupona”: Meaning tavern – a place where sailors and workers ate simple, flavorful dishes after a day’s work.
