Prep Time 30 Minutes
Serves 2
Cook Time 30 Minutes
Difficulty Easy
Caponata is one of the most famous Sicilian dishes and must be a first cousin of ratatouille found over the border from us in Provence. Like ratatouille, it tastes better the next day and can be served as a starter or a side dish.
Caponata has that wonderful Sicilian sweet and sour finish but it is the choice of aubergine which is key to the success of a really good Caponata. If possible, choose young aubergines which don’t have too many large seeds or if you are making it with more mature aubergines you will need to remove any bitterness. Put the cubes of aubergine into a colander over the sink or on a plate and sprinkle with salt leaving it for an hour. Then gently press down on the aubergine using a small plate to remove excess liquid. Wash off the extra salt and dry the aubergine cubes before you start the Caponata.
Ingredients
- Small young aubergine, 1 kg/ 2.2 lb cut into small cubes
- Nudo extra virgin olive oil, 375 ml/ 12.5 fl oz or a few good glugs
- Celery stalks, 3 cut into roughly 1cm pieces
- Red onion, 1 roughly chopped
- Garlic, 2 cloves finely sliced
- Canned tomatoes, 400g/ 14 oz
- Capers, a handful rinsed and drained
- Pine nuts, a handful
- Green olives, 100g/ 3.5 oz pitted
- Fresh marjoram or dried oregano (as you prefer), 1 sprig
- Red wine vinegar, 75 ml/ 2.5 fl oz
- Sugar, 1 tbsp – optional
- Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper
- Flat-leaf parsley, 1 small bunch with leaves roughly chopped
- Toasted ciabatta to serve with it
Method
- Heat the Nudo extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the aubergine chunks in batches until they are nice and golden all over, shaking the pan to make sure they are all covered in oil. Cook on high heat for 4 minutes and then remove with a slotted spoon.
- There should still be enough oil left in the saucepan but if it has all been absorbed by the aubergine, add another glug. Add the celery and sauté until soft but not coloured, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Then add to this the onion, garlic, and two-thirds of the parsley and cook until soft keeping them moving and taking care not to let them burn. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes stirring from time to time as the tomatoes reduce into a sauce.
- In with the drained capers, pine nuts, pitted olives, and marjoram or dried oregano and stir in the red wine vinegar.
- Stir in the aubergines and cook for about another ten minutes making sure it does not catch.
- Adjust the seasoning to your liking – add more vinegar or a tablespoon of sugar to your taste.
- Drizzle with Nudo’s extra virgin olive oil and stir in the remaining parsley leaves just before serving.
- Enjoy with toasted ciabatta.