Courtesy Gary Portuesi, president, Authentic Sicily
“Like apple pie in the U.S., caponata is a dish where every family has their own recipe and varies from town to town,” says Portuesi. “Some parts of the island include peppers, while others top it off with chocolate. This is my mother’s recipe, from Castellammare del Golfo on the Northwest coast.”
Published: March 21, 2017
Ingredients
Directions
Place eggplant in bowl of cold, salted water. Let soak 90 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add eggplant and celery. Cook 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
In separate skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, olives, capers and tomato purée. Cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Add eggplant mixture. Cook another 5 minutes.
Raise heat to medium-high. Add sugar and vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 3 minutes to thicken and blend flavors. Serve cold or at room temperature with toast (if desired), garnished with basil leaves. Serves 4–6.
Pair It
Frank Cornelissen 2014 Susucaru Rosato (Terre Siciliane). “Not typical, natural and lots of skin contact make this rosé super fun to sip on its own, but surely jumps out of the bottle even more with some great food,” says Rice. “This wine can stand up to the vibrant acidity in caponata, while also highlighting the delicate flavor of the vegetables.”
