Prep Time 30 Minutes
Serves 2
Cook Time 30 Minutes
Difficulty Easy
Caponata, a renowned Sicilian dish, bears a striking resemblance to its Provencal relative, ratatouille. Much like ratatouille, its flavours mature wonderfully overnight, making it a versatile dish suitable as a starter, side dish, or a hearty main course.
The distinctive Sicilian sweet and sour touch defines Caponata, but the key to its success lies in the choice of aubergine. Opt for young aubergines with fewer large seeds for the best results. Alternatively, if using more mature aubergines, eliminating any bitterness is crucial. To do this, place aubergine cubes in a colander over the sink or on a plate, sprinkle with salt, and let them sit for an hour. Gently press down on the aubergine with a small plate to drain excess liquid. Afterwards, rinse off the remaining salt and ensure the aubergine cubes are dry before beginning the Caponata preparation.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) small young aubergine, cut into small cubes
- 375 ml (12.5 fl oz) Nudo Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or a few good glugs)
- 3 celery stalks, cut into roughly 1cm pieces
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
- 400g (14 oz) canned tomatoes
- A handful of rinsed and drained capers
- A handful of pine nuts
- 100g (3.5 oz) pitted green olives
- 1 sprig of fresh marjoram or dried oregano (as preferred)
- 75 ml (2.5 fl oz) red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
- Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Toasted ciabatta, to serve
Method
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Heat Nudo extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan. Add aubergine chunks in batches, cooking until golden all over (about 4 minutes on high heat). Remove with a slotted spoon.
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If needed, add more oil to the saucepan. Sauté celery until soft, seasoning with salt and pepper.
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Add onion, garlic, and two-thirds of the parsley. Cook until soft, stirring to prevent burning.
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Add tomatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Stir in drained capers, pine nuts, pitted olives, and marjoram or dried oregano. Add red wine vinegar.
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Mix in the aubergines and cook for another ten minutes, ensuring it doesn't catch.
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Adjust seasoning to taste. Add more vinegar or a tablespoon of sugar if desired.
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Drizzle with Nudo's extra virgin olive oil and stir in the remaining parsley just before serving.
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Enjoy with toasted ciabatta.