Sicilian Eggplant Caponata

La Caponata is a traditional Sicilian dish made with fried eggplant in a sweet and sour sauce (agrodolce) with briny olives, capers, celery, onions and tomatoes. It's full of rich flavour and solid served as an appetiser on crostini or as a side dish to meat or fish.

Quick recipe snapshot

• Traditional Sicilian recipe using summer produce.
• Great for prepping ahead of time (tastes even better the next day).
• Easy to adapt and versatile.
• Full of good, rich flavour!

Eggplant caponata is a classic Sicilian 'cucina povera' dish, one with many variations depending on what part of Sicily you're in.

Although we've eaten caponata many times in Italy, it was a dish that was on top of our list of things to try during a recent trip to Sicily, alongside cannoli arancini involtini and granita of course.

Sicily is a treasure trove of good food, and we can't wait to return to experience more of it. This is our eggplant caponata recipe that's reminiscent of the versions we tasted near Palermo, but we've included various traditional ways to adapt it so you can create your own family favourite recipe too.

Ingredient notes

• Eggplant (aubergine) – make sure they are firm and ripe without much bruising. We recommend using 2 medium-large eggplant or 3-4 small ones.
• Tomato paste (concentrate) – We use Mutti as we love the quality. You can also use tomato passata or plum tomatoes instead. Add more to your liking.
• White onion – white onions have such a good sweetness, but brown onion will also work as well.
• Olive and capers – we use capers in brine and green Sicilian olives (you can choose whatever olives you prefer).
• Sugar and white wine vinegar – regular white sugar is fine.

Visual walk-through of the recipe

Step 1 – Cut the eggplant into cubes (photo 1) and place it in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Rinse the eggplant under cold running water for a few seconds then dry it well with a clean kitchen towel.

Step 2 – Fry the eggplant in oil until lightly golden brown, then set aside on kitchen paper to drain (you'll need to do this in batches) (photos 2 and 3).

Step 3 – cut the celery into small cubes (or slices of you prefer) and boil it in salted boiling water for around 7 minutes. Remove the celery from the water but don't drain the liquid (photo 5).

Step 4 – Fry the onion for a few minutes until soft, then add the celery, olives and capers, then stir to combine.

Step 5 – Add the tomato paste and a little reserved celery water and stir to combine. Next, mix the sugar and vinegar together and add that to the sauce with the eggplant and some fresh basil. Cover with a lid and simmer (photos 8-10).

Recipe tips

Salt the eggplant – We have tried this recipe with and without salting the eggplant first, and we prefer to salt it. We find that the eggplant takes longer to fry and absorbs more oil without salting first.

Boil the celery – a lot of Siclian recipes do this and we much prefer it. One, it softens the texture of the celery, and two, it mellows the flavour so it isn't so prominent.

How to serve caponata

Caponata is good served at room temperature as an appetiser or antipasto with some char-grilled crostini and other light nibbles like cured meats and cheese.

It's also solid served as a condiment or side dish to meat or fish. Our Italian baked chicken thighsBreaded fennel pork tenderloin or Involtini alla Palermitana are all great options.

Swaps

Pine nuts and raisins – this is a common addition in a lot of areas in Sicily. Add them in at the same time as the eggplant.

Bell peppers – red bell peppers are another common addition, and they're usually fried alongside the eggplant. It's good and well worth trying.

Cocoa powder – Yes, really! This is a unusual addition and is often found near Palermo. We haven't tried this yet, but it's on our list because we're so curious. It must be unsweetened bitter cocoa powder, and usually 1-2 tablespoons are added to the agrodolce mixture before being added.

Other vegetables – caponata is a great way of using up leftover veg and can be adapted to the seasons. Other vegetables that can be added are potatoes (cut into small cubes), zucchini (courgette), and fresh tomatoes.

More good ways to use eggplant

Pasta

Pasta Alla Norma (Eggplant Pasta)

Antipasti

Melanzane a Funghetto (Fried Eggplant in Tomato Sauce)

Mains

Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach and Ricotta

Mains

Eggplant Lasagna with Prosciutto and Mozzarella

Ingredients

Makes 8 servings

• 2 large eggplants (aubergines, cut into medium sized cubes)
• 2 celery stalks (washed and cut into small pieces)
• 1 white onion (cut into thin slices)
• 2 tablespoons (30g) capers (in brine)
• 1 cup (95g) green Sicilian olives (we used Nocellara)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste (concentrate)
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons (30g) white sugar
• fresh basil ((optional))
• Sunflower oil (or oil of choice, for frying)
• Olive oil
• Salt

Equipment

• Colander
• Clean kitchen towel

Method

1. Cut the eggplant into medium-sized cubes and place in a colander. Sprinkle generously with salt and set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour, if possible. If you can, weigh it down with something heavy (we use a plate with our mortar and pestle on top).

2. Meanwhile, wash and cut the celery into small pieces. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Add the celery and boil for 10 minutes. Remove it with a slotted spoon to a bowl and reserve the cooking water for later.

3. Rinse the eggplant under cold running water for a few seconds, then dry it well with a clean kitchen towel. Heat the sunflower oil in a heavy-based pan at least 1 inch deep. Once hot, fry the eggplant in batches until lightly golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with salt.

4. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan and add the sliced onion. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened, then add the celery, olives and capers. Next, add the tomato paste with 1 cup (250ml) of reserved celery water, stir to combine.

5. Mix the vinegar and sugar together, then add that to the sauce alongside the fried eggplant and a small handful of fresh basil (if using). Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

6. Turn off the heat and uncover. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Leave to cool to room temperature before serving (it tastes even better the next day).

Kitchen notes

Once cooled completely, store the caponata in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

We recommend making caponata the day before you plan on eating it, as it tastes even better the next day once the eggplant is infused with all the flavours.

Best eaten cold or at room temperature.

Serving suggestions good on crostini, as an antipasto or as a side dish to meat or fish.