Caponata is a traditional Sicilian eggplant dish that is usually served as an appetizer. Here, we share with you a traditional Sicilian Eggplant Caponata recipe!
Cut all of the vegetables into cubes: celery, peppers, eggplant and tomatoes. Cut the onion into thin slices.
Salt and put pressure on the eggplant cubes [presumably with a heavy plate] in order to drain any bitter liquid from the eggplant. Let the eggplant rest like this for 30 minutes to 1 hour.Then, rinse and dry the eggplant cubes.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté all of the following separately: first the eggplant (drain then set aside). Then sauté the peppers, the celery and finally the onion.
Add the tomato pulp (roughly chopped), thicken it a bit and then set it aside.
At this point, heat up all of the vegetables in the pan, mixing in: the capers, the olives, the mint and finally the sugar together with white vinegar.
Adjust the salt (to taste) and stir gently to mix everything together.
Simmer until the vinegar evaporates and the caponata is shiny.
Let it rest and serve warm or cold.
Notes
Why Salt the Eggplant?Italians often salt eggplant to extract any bitter juice. After salting eggplant slices to extract bitter juices, it is generally recommended to let them sit for about 30 minutes to an hour.During this time, the salt draws out the excess moisture and bitterness from the eggplant. You may notice droplets forming on the surface, indicating the extraction of bitter juice. Afterward, rinse the salt off the eggplant slices and pat them dry before using them in your recipe. This process helps improve the flavor and texture of the eggplant in dishes.Or, Just Choose the Right Eggplant!Check out our article to learn how to select eggplant and eggplant varieties that are not bitter. Why Sauté Separately?Eggplants and peppers tend to lose all of their color (turning a blah beige) when sautéed together. To preserve both color and the flavor of each ingredient, sauté them separately.