Caponata: Sicilian Eggplant Appetizer

Preparing the vegetables

1. Caponata is made in two main versions: with bell pepper and without. Pepper improves the flavor, but it is not essential. And of course the dish has plenty of olives, the weakness of every Italian.

   

   Caponata cooks quickly, in two parallel processes.

2. Wash the eggplants and cut them into large slices or rounds. If the eggplant seeds have already formed, it is better to remove them. Otherwise the seeds crunch between your teeth and add nothing to the flavor.

   If for some reason the eggplants might be bitter, sprinkle them generously with coarse rock salt and leave for 10 minutes. This draws out any bitterness, and the salt seals the pores of the flesh so it does not soak up too much oil when frying. Then rinse the eggplants well under cold running water and pat them dry with a towel. But, to be honest, I have not come across bitter eggplants for many years, so this step is up to you.

3. Fry the sliced eggplants in olive oil over medium heat until soft and lightly browned. Eggplants soak up oil well, so you can add more as you go, stirring them in the pan. They quickly become soft and begin to brown.

   

4. Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and roast it in the oven or microwave until soft.

   

5. Semi-dry the tomatoes. In Sicily tomatoes are dried in the sun, but you can do it in the oven or in an ordinary microwave. Cut the tomatoes into 6-8 pieces and remove the seeds. Add salt and a little pepper. Brush with a small amount of olive oil and arrange on a large dish. Microwave at full power for 5-6 minutes. Having lost a good part of their moisture, the tomatoes are almost indistinguishable from “real” sun-dried ones.

Stewing

1. In another pan, fry the onion, cut into thick strips, in olive oil over medium heat until golden.

   

2. Add the semi-dried tomatoes

   

   and the roasted bell pepper, cut into strips, to the fried onion.

   

3. Add the olives and capers. The green olives should be pitted, though stuffed ones are fine. Cut the olives in half. If you have no capers, pickled gherkins, small cucumbers, work quite well; chop them finely. Add the chopped olives and capers to the vegetables at the same time.

   

4. Stew the vegetables. Add 1 tsp sugar (5 g) and 1 tsp wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and add hot chili to taste. Pour in 1/4 cup of hot water (50 ml) and simmer covered over medium heat for 5 minutes. Then remove the lid and simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes. Almost all the moisture should evaporate from the dish.

5. Add the fried eggplants, together with the oil left from frying.

   

   Simmer uncovered over medium heat for another 3-4 minutes, and the vegetable appetizer is ready.

   

Serving

1. In Sicily caponata is often mashed into a smooth mixture and served on fresh or toasted bread, like eggplant caviar.

2. Serve the caponata. If you like, you can eat it hot, with fresh bread. But it is better to wait until it cools; cold, it is even tastier. Before serving, it is better not to sprinkle the appetizer with herbs, but you can garnish it with a sprig of green basil or parsley.

   

   Caponata is an excellent vegetable appetizer in every sense!