• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Homemade Italian Cooking
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Gluten-Free
    • Pasta, Rice & Grains
    • Recipes
    • Soups
  • Videos
  • News & Events
    • Cooking Classes
    • Giveaways
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Press
    • Product Reviews
  • Shop
    • Cookbooks
    • Ingredients
    • Kitchen Equipment
  • For Bloggers
  • About
  • Checkout
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Cookbook
  • About
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Videos
    • Shop
    • Cookbook
    • About
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Sicilian Caponata - An Amazing Eggplant Appetizer

    Published: May 3, 2021 by Cara Kretz · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Share

    IMG_0302Caponata is a sweet, sour, salty, spicy, crunchy vegetable relish that becomes addictive once you try it! It is made primarily with eggplant, celery, tomatoes, olives and raisins.  Eat it with grilled toast or a crispy panelle, a fried fritter made of chickpeas and favorite street food in Palermo.  Add Caponata to your antipasti platter or as a side dish for fish. This versatile vegetable dish has lots of variations. My version leaves out the pine nuts, garlic and extra sugar.
    Caponata ingredientsCaponata eggplant frying

    Print Pin
    5 from 1 vote

    Sicilian Caponata

    Caponata is favorite appetizer in Sicily. It is a rich blend of fried eggplant cubes, crunchy celery, sweet raisins, briny green olives, tomatoes, capers,and spices. Served with Panelle or grilled bread, or as a side dish with your favorite grilled fish, you will fall in love with its sweet and sour goodness.
    Course Appetizer
    Prep Time 1 hour
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
    Author Homemade Italian Cooking with Cara

    Ingredients

    • 2 large eggplant
    • 3 TB kosher salt
    • 1 cup olive oil
    • 6 stalks celery
    • 1 medium onion chopped
    • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 TB tomato paste
    • 4 ripe Roma tomatoes diced with juice and seeds
    • 1 cup golden raisins
    • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
    • 15 green olives pitted
    • 1 small jar capers rinsed
    • Handful torn basil leaves
    • ½ cup Italian flat leaf parsley chopped

    Instructions

    • Slice eggplants into 1 inch thick slices. Layer the slices on a paper towel in a colander and sprinkle each layer liberally with a total of 2 TB of the salt. Weight down with a plate and let sit for 30-60 minutes on. This process will help remove the moisture and bitterness from the eggplants. When ready, wipe each slice with paper towels to remove the salt. Do not rinse. You will notice that the salt was pulled away with the excess liquid. Dice the eggplant into 1 inch cubes, skin on.
    • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and fry, tossing occasionally, until browned, 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggplant to paper towel to drain; set aside. If needed fry in batches.
    • In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add onions, red pepper flakes and celery, and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 10 minutes. Don't overcook celery. Reduce heat to medium, and add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until caramelized and almost evaporated, 1–2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, raisins and vinegar and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until thickened. Take off the heat and let cool slightly.
    • Place cooled celery/tomato mixture In a glass bowl. Add browned eggplant, olives, capers, basil and parsley. Mix well. Can be served warm or at room temperature.
    • Serve with grilled Italian toasts, or chickpea fritters (Panelle).
    « Romantic Dinner for Two: Succulent Grilled Lamb Lollipops
    Grilled Artichokes with Garlic Aioli »

    You might also like

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Diane

      June 12, 2015 at 7:03 pm

      5 stars
      Have a craving for this recipe after tasting it only one time! Will have to make this over the weekend!

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Panelle (Chickpea Fritters) – Homemade Italian Cooking says:
      July 28, 2017 at 11:36 am

      […] are a fantastic hot appetizer and favorite street food in Palermo.  I like to serve them with Caponata, a spicy, sweet and sour eggplant relish. Panelle are made from chickpea flour.  The recipe is […]

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    three × three =

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Cara Mia Cipolla. My goal is to pass on my recipes, tips and secrets and hopefully inspire others to become great home cooks. In addition to the blog, I also write cookbooks, teach cooking classes, and take on the occasional consulting project for other culinary businesses.

    More about me →

    Delicious Detox & Powerfoods cookbook. Buy Now!

    Global Cuisine

    • Oven Baked Corned Beef with Guinness Beer and Crispy Smashed Red Potatoes for St. Patrick's Day
    • Succulent and Crispy Pork Belly on Chinese Steamed Buns with Pickled Cucumbers and Hoisin Sauce
    • Spanish Paella on the Grill
    • Peach Panzanella Salad with Honey Cardamom Vinaigrette

    Holiday & Special Occasions

    • White Turkey Chili with Beans and Jalapenos for Super Bowl
    • La Befana’s Panettone Ice Cream Cake for Epiphany
    • Feast of the Seven Fishes: A Sicilian Christmas Eve Dinner
    • Amazing Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with Buttered Rum Glaze for Halloween

    Footer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Contact

    • cara@homemadeitaliancooking.com
    • Press
    • For Bloggers

    About

    • About Cara
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Copyright © 2022 Homemade Italian Cooking by Cara | Foodie Pro Theme by FeastDesignCo