Best 4 Eggplant Caponata Sicilian Version Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Eggplant caponata is a traditional dish from Sicily, Italy, that is enjoyed by people all over the world. The dish is made with eggplant that is fried and then stewed in a flavorful sauce made with tomatoes, onions, celery, olives, and capers. The result is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, a side dish, or even a main course. With so many variations of eggplant caponata available, it may be challenging to find the best recipe. This article explores the history and significance of eggplant caponata in Sicilian cuisine and provides tips on how to choose the best eggplant for this dish. Additionally, it offers suggestions for ingredients that can enhance the flavor of the caponata and provides a guide on how to cook the dish to perfection. Whether you are a seasoned cook or a beginner, this article will equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to create an unforgettable eggplant caponata.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

EGGPLANT CAPONATA (SICILIAN VERSION)



Eggplant Caponata (Sicilian Version) image

Delicious relish or appetizer that can be served hot or cold! Serve with toasted crusty bread.

Provided by rocks_67

Categories     Appetizers and Snacks     Antipasto Recipes

Time 1h34m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
salt to taste
¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ cups canned plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
12 green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 ½ tablespoons drained capers
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon minced oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley, or to taste

Steps:

  • Toss eggplant with salt and place in a colander set over a bowl. Let sit, about 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is soft and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
  • Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet. Add eggplant and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in celery mixture, tomatoes, olives, capers, tomato paste, and oregano. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until caponata is thickened, about 15 minutes.
  • Season caponata with vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with parsley.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 54.3 calories, Carbohydrate 4.9 g, Fat 3.9 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 0.9 g, SaturatedFat 0.5 g, Sodium 297 mg, Sugar 2.2 g

SICILIAN EGGPLANT CAPONATA



Sicilian Eggplant Caponata image

Make and share this Sicilian Eggplant Caponata recipe from Food.com.

Provided by DailyInspiration

Categories     Vegetable

Time 1h15m

Yield 10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 lbs eggplants, peeled (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 bay leaves
1 lb onion, chopped
1 lb celery, cliced (1/2 inch thick)
1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup capers (preferably salt-packed, well rinsed)
20 large green olives, pitted (very coarsely chopped)
2 fresh red chili peppers, halved (seeded and thinly sliced)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Steps:

  • Combine eggplant and salt in a large bowl. Transfer to a colander, place a plate on the eggplant and weigh down the plate with cans. Set the colander in the sink to drain for 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bay leaves and let sizzle for about 1 minute to flavor the oil. Stir in onions and celery. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes; do not let them brown. Add tomatoes and capers, increase heat to medium and cook; stirring occasionally, just until the tomatoes start to break down, about 5 minutes. Stir in olives; transfer everything to a large bowl.
  • When the eggplant is ready, rinse under running water to get rid of as much salt as possible. Dry thorougly on paper towels.
  • Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in the same skillet over medium heat until very hot. Add the eggplant and cook, tossing and stirring, until softened, 10-15 minutes. Add chiles and cook, stirring, until they are softened, 5-10 minutes. Transfer the eggplant and peppers to the bowl with the tomato mixture and gently stir to combine.
  • Whisk vinegar and honey in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer until thickened and reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Stir into the vegetables along with parsley and basil. Serve at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 164.3, Fat 11.3, SaturatedFat 1.6, Sodium 844.3, Carbohydrate 15.3, Fiber 5.4, Sugar 8.3, Protein 2.4

CAPONATA



Caponata image

Caponata is a Sicilian sweet and sour version of ratatouille. Because eggplant absorbs flavors like a sponge, it's particularly good in such a pungent dish. Like most eggplant dishes, this gets better overnight. It's meant to be served at room temperature, and I like it cold as well. It makes a great topping for bruschetta.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Time 1h

Yield Serves 6 to 8

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 1/2 pounds eggplant (1 large), roasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, from the inner, tender stalks (the heart), diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 red bell peppers, diced
Salt to taste
1 pound ripe tomatoes, preferably romas, peeled, seeded and finely chopped, or 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes (in puree)
3 heaped tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted green olives
2 tablespoons plus a pinch of sugar
3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar (more to taste)
freshly ground pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Roast the eggplant, allow to cool and chop coarsely.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet and add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook together for a minute, until the garlic begins to smell fragrant, and add the peppers and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, until just about tender, about 8 minutes. Add another tablespoon of oil and the eggplant, and stir together for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. The eggplant will fall apart, which is fine. Season to taste.
  • Add the tomatoes to the pan with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of sugar. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and they smell fragrant. Add the capers, olives, remaining sugar, and vinegar. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are thoroughly tender and the mixture is quite thick, sweet, and fragrant. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. If possible, cover and chill overnight. Serve at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 100, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 15 grams, Fat 4 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 502 milligrams, Sugar 10 grams

EGGPLANT CAPONATA



Eggplant Caponata image

Caponata became part of Sicilian cooking centuries ago, when the island was under Arab rule. The Arabs brought eggplants and sugar, along with citrus and spices. Other versions of caponata contain raisins and pine nuts; this one has capers and green olives. Some cooks add a lot of tomato, but I prefer just a touch of good tomato paste. The seasoning is sweet, sour and salty, and laced with olive oil. Like pickles and other savory preserves, caponata is often made in quantity and stored in jars for use throughout the year. Serve it on little toasts as an appetizer or to accompany a meal.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     dips and spreads, vegetables, appetizer, side dish

Time 2h

Yield 6 or more servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Extra-virgin olive oil
3 or 4 small eggplants (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
4 small celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup), blanched for 1 minute in boiling salted water, then cooled
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1 cup good-quality green olives, pitted
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Steps:

  • Put a wide cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil to coat surface of pan. When oil is wavy, test by adding a cube of eggplant. It should begin to sizzle and brown immediately. Fill the pan with a single layer of eggplant cubes. Turn eggplant with a spatula or tongs and brown nicely on all sides. Lower heat as necessary to maintain an even temperature; if the pan is too hot, the eggplant will burn.
  • Remove cooked eggplant to a plate and continue to fry remaining eggplant in batches, adding more oil as necessary. Season finished eggplant with salt and pepper. (Alternatively, roast the eggplant on a baking sheet at 400 degrees, lightly drizzled with oil, until cooked and nicely browned, about 20 minutes.)
  • Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, season lightly with salt and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly colored, about 5 minutes. Stir in blanched celery, tomato paste, capers and olives. Add crushed red pepper, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar and wine. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Gently fold in cooked eggplant and simmer 2 or 3 minutes more. Taste cooking juices and adjust salt if necessary. Let mellow for 1 hour at room temperature (or make it a day in advance for fuller flavor). Sprinkle with parsley to serve. The caponata will keep for a week, refrigerated.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 147, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 18 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 583 milligrams, Sugar 12 grams

Tips

  • Choose the right eggplant. Look for eggplants that are firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, unblemished skin. Avoid eggplants that are soft or have bruises or blemishes.
  • Cut the eggplant properly. To prevent the eggplant from absorbing too much oil, cut it into small cubes or slices and soak it in salted water for 30 minutes before cooking.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan. When cooking the eggplant, make sure to spread it out in a single layer in the pan. This will help it to cook evenly and prevent it from steaming.
  • Use a good quality olive oil. Olive oil is an essential ingredient in caponata, so make sure to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
  • Add the ingredients in the right order. The order in which you add the ingredients to the caponata is important. First, cook the eggplant until it is browned, then add the onion, celery, and garlic. Finally, add the tomatoes and capers.
  • Simmer the caponata for at least 30 minutes. This will help the flavors to meld and develop.
  • Serve the caponata warm or at room temperature. Caponata is a versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or main course.

Conclusion

Caponata is a delicious and versatile dish that is perfect for any occasion. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste. Whether you serve it as an appetizer, side dish, or main course, caponata is sure to be a hit.

Related Topics