Caponata from Catania | All Things Sicilian and more

Over summer and the Christmas period I did make a few favourite standout dishes that were requested time and again: Zuppa Inglese and Caponata Catanese seem to have left such a lasting impression on my friends and family that they’ve become favorites for special occasions.

Egg Mayonnaise and Zogghiu (a green sauce made with garlic, mint, and parsley) are incredibly versatile sauces that pair wonderfully with almost anything.

November and December are always my busiest months, and while I spend a lot of time cooking, there’s rarely a moment to take photos or write about it. The Christmas period was no different.

Though I don’t tend to stick to traditional holiday foods, for family and friends some special dishes are memorable.

I had three requests for Zuppa Inglese, one was for this year’s shared Christmas lunch. I topped it with Chantilly cream, preserved cherries soaked in Maraschino, and bits of Torrone with pistachio. Instead of the traditional sherry used in an English trifle, the Savoiardi biscuits are soaked with Alchermes, the ancient Florentine liqueur. I also spooned the traditional rich egg custard between the layers, te results are a decadent and obviuosly memorable dessert.

Caponata Catanese, a Sicilian dish from Catania, is another favorite. This version features eggplant, red and green peppers, celery, onion, and green olives and I also added capers. Each vegetable is cooked separately in olive oil, then combined after caramelizing some sugar and evaporating white wine vinegar. Finally, tomatoes are added and simmered until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency. The result makes a memorable antipasto that’s best served cold or can be placed as one of the choices if having salads with grilled food.

The essential ingredients of my Caponata Catanese, a Sicilian caponata from Catania, are eggplant, red and green peppers, celery and onion with green olives (I also added capers). Each of the vegetables in the caponata are separately cooked in olive oil and not mixed together until some sugar is caramelised before adding white wine vinegar that is evaporated and finally some tomatoes that are cooked till reduced to a cream.

I scattered this one with fresh leaves of basil, pine nuts and breadcrumbs toasted in some extra virgin olive oil. The breadcrumbs added the crunch.

Two other staples I often prepare are homemade Egg Mayonnaise and Zogghiu The green sauce is especially good with grilled meats, and it was fantastic with both crayfish and grilled squid this season. Egg mayonnaise is particularly good with asparagus.

I also enjoy a hearty meat broth, and one dish I hadn’t made in a long time was Stracciatella. This simple yet delicious Roman soup is quick to prepare and incredibly satisfying. The name “Stracciatella” refers to the delicate, shredded pieces of egg that form as you stir them into the hot broth. To make it, simply bring meat broth to a boil, then whisk in beaten eggs, fresh parsley, nutmeg, and Parmigiano, cooking over low heat until it thickens to your desired consistency.

Although the Christmas season has passed, all the recipes I’ve shared here are perfect for the summer months. I hope you enjoyed your holiday season, and I look forward to sharing more delicious recipes with you in the future.

Recipe for Zuppa Inglese:

ZUPPA INGLESE, a famous, Italian dessert

LONG LIVE ZUPPA INGLESE and its sisters

ALCHERMES/ALKERMES (The liqueur used to make Zuppa Inglese)

Recipes for Caponata:

CAPONATA Catanese (from Catania) made easy with photos

A MOUNTAIN OF CAPONATA two days before Christmas

CAPONATA SICILIANA (CATANESE Caponata as made in Catania)

Recipes for sauces – Egg Mayonnaise and Zogghiu :

ZOGGHIU (Sicilian pesto/dressing made with garlic, parsley and mint)

GRILLED CALAMARI (CALAMARI ‘NTA BRACI (Sicilian) – CALAMARI ALLA BRACE (Italian)

PESCE IN BIANCO (Plain fish). MAIONESE (Mayonnaise)

Although the Christmas period is over, all of the recipes I have provided are summer recipes.

In my first book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking, I explore the rich flavors of Sicilian caponate (plural of caponata), dedicating an entire chapter to this iconic, Sicilian tradtional dish. One of the highlights is the Caponata Catanese that features the combination of eggplants and peppers. But the beauty of caponata lies in its versatility: you can find variations that include pumpkin, potato, artichokes and even celery (known as Caponata di Natale, a winter Christmas caponata) and a fennel caponata for those looking to try something different. Caponata from Palermo uses eggplants and no peppers and there is also a version that adds chocolate.

For the best results, remember to make your caponata at least a day ahead of time. This allows the flavors to develop and deepen.

I am writing this post for a friend to demonstrate that making caponata is not difficult and I have therefore included many photos to illustrate the process.

Caponata Catanese is made with a colourful mix of eggplants, peppers, celery, onions, chopped green olives, and capers. To make its signature agro-dolce sauce, you’ll combine a little sugar, vinegar, and a splash of passata. For an extra layer of flavor and texture, consider garnishing with toasted pine nuts (or blanched almonds) and fresh basil. Pan toasted breadcrumbs (pangrattato) tossed in a hot pan in a little olive oil is also a favourite. Sometimes I also add grated lemon peel, a little cinnamon and a pinch of sugar while the crumbs are toasting.

The quantities: I typically use about 1 kilo each of eggplants and peppers, along with 3 sticks of pale green celery, and 1 onion. You’ll also need roughly 125 grams each of capers and chopped green olives. Most Italians and true Sicilians rarely weigh their ingredients— adjust the ratios to your taste!

It is important to consider that while this recipe provides a guideline, the beauty of making caponata lies in its adaptability!

Always use high-quality extra virgin olive oil to sauté the vegetables, adding enough to prevent sticking. It is also used to preserve the caponata. The flavorful oil pairs beautifully with bread, making it a perfect accompaniment to all caponate. Any excess oil can be drained off later, but this flavourful oil can be added when cooking other dishes – fish, meat, eggs or vegetables.

The vegetables have different rates of cooking and you want to preserve the individual flavours as much as possible. Each vegetable is fried separately, but I sometimes I combine the celery and the onion at the same time.

A frypan with a heavy base is good to use. I am making large quantities this time to take to a family gathering, so I am using my heavy wok (Le Creuset).

You may wish to soak the cubed eggplants in some water with a little salt – this stops them from discolouring while you are cooking and especially if you are frying vegetables in batches to avoid crowding. Drain the eggplants and blot extra water: I use a tea towel.

Fry the eggplants in some extra olive oil. Drain the eggplant in a colander with a container underneath to collect any oil. In the same pan add some new oil and the oil that you have drained from the eggplants.

Fry the peppers and add a little salt. Drain them as you did the eggplants, collect the oil and add this to some new oil in the same pan.

Fry the celery and the onion.

When they have softened (but the celery still has some crunch) add the green olives and capers. Salt may not be necessary for this component of the dish.

Make a small depression in the centre of the vegetables and add about a flat tablespoon of sugar – this varies, some add more, some add less. Melt the sugar (caramelise it) and then add about 3 tablespoons of wine vinegar. Evaporate on high heat.

Add a splash of passata. Mix through the ingredients in the pan and cook it for a few minutes.

Incorporate all of the ingredients .

The caponata is now cooked. It needs to be placed in the fridge in a sealed container till you are ready to eat it and it will not suffer if it is made 5-7 days beforehand.

The easiest option for a topping is to decorate it with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil leaves when you are ready to present it.