You can see from the photos how simple it is to make Caponata Palermitana. Unlike its counterpart as made in Catania, this version has no peppers, but the rest of the ingredients and the preparation process for making any caponata remains largely the same.
No need for exact quantities—just like a true Italian!
For my version, I used 2 eggplants, cooking each one separately to avoid overcrowding in the frying pan. I believe in adding salt during the cooking process rather than at the end, which helps to enhance the flavors. And of course, I always opt for extra virgin olive oil to bring out the best in each ingredient. The beauty of caponata is in its flexibility, so feel free to adjust as you go!
A good heavy saucepan is good to use.
After the eggplants, sauté the onions and the celery (either separately or to save time sauté them together). I used 1 large onion, 2 sticks of celery (from the centre) and some of the tender leaves. Add some salt.
When the onions and celery have softened to your liking, add green olives and capers.
Make a space in the centre of the saucepan, add a couple of teaspoons of sugar. Melt it and add about a quarter of a cup of red vinegar. Evaporate it.
Make another space in the centre and add about 1/3 cup of passata.
Mix it and cook a little . You can see that there is very little liquid left.
Time to add the eggplants and combine all the ingredients.
This time I will decorate the caponata with fried breadcrumbs (day old bread – mollica) toasted in a frypan with a little olive oil.
I usually decorate the caponata with toasted pine nuts or chopped blanched almonds for added texture! However, I find that serving it with toasted bread crumbs brings a pleasurable crunch without overshadowing the eggplants’ rich flavor.
The eggplants are particularly fresh and of excellent quality in summer and autumn, making them perfect for this dish.
I opted for mint instead of basil this time, bringing a refreshing taste that really complements the other flavors but at the same time letting the richness of the eggplants shine through.
I also decided to go with mint instead of basil for a refreshing twist that complements the other flavors beautifully. It’s all about finding that balance, and these choices add a lovely nuance to the caponata!
There are numerous recipes for caponate (plural of caponata). Use the search button on my blog.
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