Eggplant Caponata

By David Tanis

Eggplant Caponata
Karsten Moran for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour, plus 1 hour to mellow
Rating
4(747)
Comments
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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.

Featured in: Eggplant Favorites, Rooted in Sicily

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Ingredients

Yield:6 or more servings
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 or 4small eggplants (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1onion, chopped
  • 4small celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup), blanched for 1 minute in boiling salted water, then cooled
  • 1tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2tablespoons capers, rinsed
  • 1cup good-quality green olives, pitted
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper
  • 1bay leaf
  • 3tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ¼cup red wine vinegar
  • ½cup dry white wine
  • 2tablespoons chopped parsley
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

147 calories; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 585 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    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.

  2. Step 2

    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.)

  3. Step 3

    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.

  4. Step 4

    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.

Ratings

4 out of 5
747 user ratings
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Comments

Robert

Hello Dino. I've just made the dish exactly according to the recipe and the amount of sugar is not too much; it's just right to my taste. He needs teh sugar because there is virtually no tomato in the recipe which is where the sweetness normally comes from. I agree that Sicilians don't put pepper flakes in eggplant parmigiana, but they do in caponata. I've eaten the dish all over Sicily (Catania to Palermo to Marsala Ragusa and they've all been spiced with red pepper.

Katherine

This is SO good! I usually halve sugar recommendations, but this caponata in fact needed the prescribed amount. As an experiment, I sauteed half the eggplant and baked the other half. I could taste the difference when the capanata was first made (sauteed was better), but the next day the difference had evaporated. Since baking is easier, I'll do that next time.

Dino Romano

Good recipe, but, off the mark. Sicilians are not fans of red pepper flakes in ANY eggplant parmigiana I've eaten anywhere in Sicily. Way too much sugar in this recipe as well. Bay leaf throws off the savory flavor of the olives. LESS is better.

Rocky Racoon

Excellent recipe with interesting flavor profiles I’ve not used much. I absolutely love the contrast of the olive with the heat of the of the red pepper flakes. I cut the sugar a little and might try pomegranate molasses or date syrup. I’ll definitely be making this again. And telling anybody who will listen how delicious and easy it is. Thanks.

Kim M

Love this!! And so did my guests. Used 14 oz can crushed tomatoes in lieu of paste. No crushed red peppers. Added 1/4 cup golden raisins and some toasted pine nuts plus a bit more parsley. The sweet and sour is delicious.

olive

No celery on hand so used the fennel I picked up at Wegmans. So good! I grew up eating this and this tastes almost as good as Nonna’s.

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