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Recipe · Side dish

Caponata (Sicilian Aubergine Stew)

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Caponata (Sicilian Aubergine Stew)

Recipes and photos are AI created and editorially reviewed. Nutrition figures are estimates.

Silky aubergine, celery and tomato cooked down with salty capers, olives and a sharp splash of red wine vinegar.

Side dish. Good with grilled swordfish, roast chicken or lamb chops. Find a main

Cuisine
Sicilian
Serves
4
Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Total
55 min
Difficulty
Easy

Gluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeVegetarianVegan

Equipment: Roasting tin, large frying pan

Ingredients

  • 2 aubergines (eggplants), about 600 g, cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée (tomato paste)
  • 200 g tinned chopped tomatoes
  • 50 g green olives, pitted and halved
  • 1 tbsp capers, rinsed
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 small handful of basil leaves
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°C). Toss the aubergine with 1 tbsp of the oil and a pinch of salt, spread out in a roasting tin and roast for 25 minutes, turning once, until golden and soft.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add the onion and celery with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 10-12 minutes until very soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the tomatoes, olives and capers and simmer for 5 minutes until thick. Stir in the roasted aubergine and the vinegar and cook for 3-4 minutes more so the vinegar mellows.
  4. Season to taste, leave to cool to warm or room temperature, then tear over the basil before serving.

Swaps and tips

This version skips the usual sugar and raisins; slowly softened onion and well-roasted aubergine give it plenty of natural depth. Like most caponata it is best made a few hours ahead and served at room temperature. Keeps for 4 days in the fridge.

Easy variations

  • Scatter with toasted pine nuts
  • Add a tiny pinch of ground cinnamon with the tomatoes
  • Stir in chopped flat-leaf parsley with the basil
  • Add a little finely chopped red chilli

Nutrition estimated, per serving

ProteinCarbsFibreFatCalories
2 g8 g5 g9 g130 kcal

Values are estimates based on typical UK food composition data and will vary with brands and portion sizes.

Recipes are AI created and editorially reviewed; kitchen testing is ongoing.

Recipe from healthshelf.org

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