This glorious fall we experienced (though over now, quite abruptly) means veg like eggplant had enough time to ripen. Put it together in the savoury Sicilian dish called caponata.
This quintessential Sicilian dish is found throughout the island. Like so many other recipes in Italy there are countless versions and variations which vary from town to town and family to family. Eggplants were introduced to the island of Sicily by the Arabs in the middle ages along with pine nuts and raisins and since then, these ingredients have become a fixture in the island’s cookery. Although each region in Italy has their own cuisine, I find that Sicily has a unique path of flavours carved out by centuries of invasions and influences. The Arabs dominated Sicily from 827-1091 which left the strongest influence on the cuisine and the flavours of this caponata showcase that.
The balance of agrodolce flavours and so many unctuous textures makes this one of my favourite ways to start an autumn meal. Enjoy caponata as an antipasto along with cured meats and cheeses or as a side with roasted meats and fish. I like to eat caponata on its own with a piece of crusty bread and a glass of Nerello Mascalese. –Daniel Costa, Corso 32
Tomato Sauce
| 4 c | fresh ripe juicy tomatoes (ideally Roma or cocktail tomatoes), roughly chopped or coarsely blitzed in a food processor or 1 796 ml can of San Marzano Tomatoes, crushed by hand |
| 2 cloves | garlic, peeled and left whole |
| ¼ c | extra virgin olive oil (preferably Sicilian) |
| ¼ c | dried currants |
| 1 t | salt |
Heat the olive oil and whole cloves of garlic in a large pot or wide frying pan over medium high heat. Once the garlic is lightly golden add the tomatoes and salt. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, stir occasionally until the consistency is thick and concentrated but not a paste. Add the currants and allow to cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Vegetables
| 2 med | eggplant, I prefer Graffiti Eggplant (easily found at the farmers markets), peeled and cut into large dice; toss with 1 tablespoon of salt until ready for use |
| 3 | red bell peppers, cut into large dice |
| 1 | red onion, cut into large dice |
| 2 sticks | celery, cut into large dice |
| ¾ c | pitted Nocellara olives, halved |
| ¼ c | capers, rinsed in cold water (if using salt packed capers soak for 3 hours and change the water every hour) |
| 1/3 c | pine nuts |
| olive oil for frying | |
| 1 c | white sugar |
| 2 t | red wine vinegar |
Heat 1.5-2 inches of olive oil in a wide pot to 350ºF. Ensure there is at least 4 inches remaining to the top your pot to avoid boiling over. In order: fry the peppers, then celery, then eggplant, then onion. Fry each separately until lightly golden. Remove with a perforated spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Add the fried vegetables, pine nuts, olives, capers, sugar and red wine vinegar to the tomato sauce. Return the pot to high heat, cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Allow the caponata to cool to room temperature before serving.
Serves 4-6.