Sicilian Caponata

Sicilian Caponata is a sweet and sour side dish, typical of Sicilian cuisine, made with eggplant and other vegetables. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 3-4 medium eggplants
• 1 large onion
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 400 g of peeled tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons of salted capers, rinsed and desalted
• A handful of pitted green or black olives
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or granulated sugar
• About 100 ml of red wine vinegar
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying
• Extra virgin olive oil for the sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil
• Pine nuts or toasted almonds (optional)

Preparation

1. Cut the eggplants into cubes and leave them to soak in salted water for about an hour to remove their bitter taste.

2. Drain and dry the eggplants well, then fry them in plenty of extra virgin olive oil until golden brown. Drain them and place on paper towels to remove excess oil.

3. In a large pan, sauté the chopped onion and garlic in olive oil, then add the chopped celery and cook until soft.

4. Add the crushed peeled tomatoes, capers, and olives. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

5. Add the fried eggplants to the pan with the vegetables, then season with salt and pepper.

6. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar with the wine vinegar and pour the mixture into the pan.

7. Continue cooking on low heat until the caponata has caramelized and thickened.

8. At the end of cooking, add the hand-torn basil and, if desired, pine nuts or toasted almonds.

Sicilian Caponata can be served cold or at room temperature and is even better if prepared the day before to allow the flavors to meld. It is perfect as a side dish to accompany meat or fish dishes, or on slices of crusty bread as an appetizer. Enjoy your meal!