Caponata Siciliana (Sweet and Sour Aubergine Stew)

About This Recipe

Caponata is one of Sicily's most distinctive and beloved dishes — a slow-cooked agrodolce (sweet-and-sour) stew of fried aubergine, celery, onion, olives, capers and tomato, finished with wine vinegar and sugar. Every Sicilian family has their own version; some add pine nuts and raisins, others use fresh tomato, others add red peppers. What unites them all is the characteristic balance of acidic vinegar and sweet sugar against the savoury aubergine base. Caponata improves dramatically overnight as the flavours meld — it is almost always better the next day — and is traditionally served at room temperature as an antipasto or contorno (side dish). It travels and keeps well, making it perfect for summer picnics and meal prep.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 largeaubergines (eggplant)
• 3celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 largeonion, roughly chopped
• 300 gcanned tomatoes, crushed
• 80 ggreen olives, pitted and halved
• 2 tbspcapers in brine, rinsed
• 4 tbspred wine vinegar
• 1 tbspsugar
• 100 mlolive oil for frying
• 2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil for finishing
• handfulfresh basil leaves
• to tastesalt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Salt and drain aubergine

   Cut aubergine into 2 cm cubes. Toss with salt and place in a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.

2. 2

   Fry aubergine

   Fry aubergine cubes in generous olive oil in batches until golden on all sides. Drain on kitchen paper.

3. 3

   Sauté celery and onion

   In the same pan, sauté onion and celery in fresh olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes.

4. 4

   Add tomatoes

   Add crushed tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until reduced slightly.

5. 5

   Add agrodolce

   Stir in olives, capers, vinegar and sugar. Taste — it should be a clear balance of sweet and sour. Adjust as needed.

6. 6

   Combine and rest

   Add fried aubergine to the sauce. Cook together for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in extra-virgin olive oil and torn basil. Rest for at least 2 hours before serving.

Variations

• •

  Add pine nuts and raisins for a Palermitan version with extra texture and sweetness.

• •

  Some versions use fresh tomatoes rather than canned for a lighter, more acidic caponata.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. Flavour improves with time. Can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions