Caponata on Olive Leaves

The caponata on olive leaves is a tasty and presentable variant of the traditional Sicilian caponata, served as an appetizer or side dish on crispy pastry sheets enriched with olives. Here is how you can prepare it:

Ingredients

• For the caponata:

  • 2 medium eggplants
  • 2 stalks of celery
  • 1 onion
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 200 g of peeled tomatoes
  • 50 g of pitted green olives
  • 30 g of capers in salt
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 30 ml of white wine vinegar
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh basil for garnish

• For the olive leaves:

  • 250 g of durum wheat flour
  • 50 g of pitted black olives
  • 150 ml of water
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil to brush

Preparation

1. Start with the caponata: cut the eggplants into cubes of about 1 cm, salt them and let them release water for about 30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, clean the celery and cut it into small pieces. Peel the onion and chop finely.
3. Wash and cut the bell peppers into strips or cubes, as you prefer.
4. Rinse the eggplants and dry them. Fry the eggplants in abundant hot oil until golden, then drain and set aside.
5. In the same pan, sauté the onion, add the celery and peppers and cook for about 10 minutes.
6. Add the peeled tomatoes, olives, and capers (previously desalted and rinsed), then season with salt and pepper.
7. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. At this point, add the eggplants, sugar, and vinegar. Mix well and let it caramelize for a few minutes.
9. Plate the caponata and let it cool in the fridge.

For the olive leaves:

1. Finely chop the pitted black olives.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour with the chopped olives, salt, and gradually add water, kneading until you get a smooth mixture.
3. Roll out the dough very thinly on a floured work surface.
4. Cut circles or shapes as desired with a pastry cutter.
5. Brush with olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 15-20 minutes or until they become crispy.

To serve, lay the cool caponata on the crispy olive leaves and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Curiosity

The caponata is a dish rich in history and traditions, whose origins are lost among the simple Sicilian cuisines. It is said that the name derives from the Spanish word “capón,” which was a kind of “rooster,” suggesting a dish originally designed as a side for meats but which over time has become an undisputed protagonist of the island tables.