Vegetable Caponata

Vegetable caponata is a classic Sicilian dish, full of flavors and colors. The vegetables are fried and then dressed with a sweet and sour sauce. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant, cut into cubes
• 2 ribs of celery, cut into pieces
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
• 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced, or a can of peeled tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed
• 50 g green olives, pitted
• 30 g raisins, preferably soaked in warm water
• 30 g pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Start by frying the eggplant cubes in plenty of hot oil until they are golden and soft. Then, drain them and place them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
2. In a large pan, sauté the onion in a bit of oil until it becomes translucent.
3. Add the bell pepper and celery to the onion and cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften.
4. Add the tomatoes, capers, olives, raisins, and pine nuts. Cook for a few minutes.
5. Reassemble the dish by adding the fried eggplants to the other ingredients in the pan.
6. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar with the sugar until it dissolves, then pour it into the pan with the vegetables.
7. Cook everything together for about 10-15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced slightly and the vegetables are well flavored. Adjust salt and pepper.
8. Let the caponata cool before serving; ideally, it should rest for a few hours to allow the flavors to intertwine.

Vegetable caponata can be served both as an appetizer and as a side dish, and according to Sicilian tradition, it tastes even better the day after.

Curiosity

It is said that the term “caponata” comes from the Latin “caupona,” which refers to the tavern, a place where this dish was served to sailors. Alternatively, some believe that it derives from “capone,” a type of fish that was usually accompanied by a seasoning similar to that of caponata. When the fish was too expensive, it was replaced with eggplants, the central ingredient of this delicious dish.