After sharing with you the recipe for traditional Eggplant Caponata, today I am back with an healthier and quicker version of this Sicilian summer classic: Lightened-up Eggplant Caponata.
Caponata is one of the most popular Sicilian dishes and it could be described as a cooked salad made up of fried eggplant and other ingredients. It is a sweet and sour dish and it is the perfect side for fish dishes or a great appetiser if served with warm cabbuci (traditional Sicilian bread).
It is usually eaten in summer and it is best served at room temperature or even cold. We all love the traditional fried version, but this lightened-up recipe taste just as good and it is easier on the tummy!
It is also much faster to make, as you don’t have to deep fry your eggplant before adding them to the sauce. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! Don’t forget to check out my video recipe as well.
Lightened-up Eggplant Caponata
Ingredients
- 4 big eggplants
- 15 green olives pitted and halved
- 2 tbsp capers rinsed
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 140 gms – 5 oz. concentrated tomato paste
- 2 big onions chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 150 ml – 5 oz. red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Salt to taste
Instructions
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Cut the aubergines in cubes (3×3 cm – 1.2×1.2 inches) and put them in a bowl with cold salty water for half an hour.
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Blanch the chopped celery in salty boiling water.
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Sauté the onion with the 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil for a minute or 2. Add the tomato concentrate, capers, olives, salt and blanched celery with a little of its reserved cooking water and cook the sauce for 5 minutes.
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Drain the the cubed eggplant and add it to the pot. Mix gently, cover, and cook until the eggplant is tender.
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Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar and add it to the caponata. Cook it for a few minutes on a medium-high flame, then put the fire off and let it cool down.
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It is best eaten at room temperature or cold, and it tastes even better after a day or two. Enjoy with some warm cabbuci!
This Italian dish is delicious ..