This was one of the workshops offered by La Trobe University as part of the 2013 lecture series. It was held on Saturday 23 March 2013.
The session began with a very interesting lecture on the history of food and feasting in Sicily, Italy and the Mediterranean. Dr Gillian Shepherd is Lecturer in Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Director of the A.D. Trendall Research Centre for Ancient Mediterranean Studies at La Trobe University. During her lecture she focused on the literary and archaeological evidence for food production and consumption in the ancient world.
I accompanied the lecture with a food workshop and cooking demonstration that reflected the ways Sicilian cuisine has been influenced by the dominant cultures of the Mediterranean from ancient times to the modern day, which includes Greek, Roman, Arabic, French and Spanish cultures.
For the workshop I collected some wild greens and the audience was able to see the differences between the wild variety and the cultivated species; wild fennel is one of the ingredients in Pasta Con le Sarde.
Cassata (pan di Spagna/sponge cake, ricotta, nuts, marsala, citrus peel, chocolate and marzipan)
Those of you who live in the UK may have already watched Sicily Unpacked with London based historian Andrew Graham-Dixon and chef Giorgio Locatelli. We have viewed two episodes in Australia and have one to go. I always find great pleasure in seeing Sicily promoted. In these two episodes we have seen some beautiful scenes mainly of Palermo, Noto and Modica and I have included a few of the photos I have to remind you of how beautiful Sicily is.
I have Giorgio Locatelli’s Made In Italy and have enjoyed it. Giorgio’s book on Sicily was released at the same time as mine (Sicilian Seafood Cooking). I have yet to buy his book on Sicily, but I will, as it is always good to compare one’s recipes with someone else’s.
In the two episodes that I have watched Giorgio has cooked three recipes, but although you saw preparing these he did not provide them (a good strategy to motivate you to buy the book).
When I cook I always like to look at more than one recipe of the one dish and then decide how I am going to cook mine. You may wish to do the same.
The three recipes that Giorgio cooked are on my blog and from what I could see they were quite different to mine. To view these recipes on my blog click on the links below. Those of you who have a copy of my book Sicilian Seafood Cooking will find two of these recipes written in greater detail.
Fennel is still looking really good at the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne and this time I made a fennel caponata.
Select the round specimens when you can – these are known as the male bulbs. The female ones are flatter and reputed to be not as tasty because their energy is going into sprouting and going to seed – and this explains their shape – they are not as round.
Usually when I make any caponata including this fennel one, I fry the vegetables separately to best preserve the flavour of the individual vegetables and accommodate the different cooking time each vegetable needs, but because the celery and fennel have similar textures I generally cook them at the same time.
All caponate (plural) have an essential agro-dolce (sweet and sour) sauce that makes caponata what it is.
INGREDIENTS
1 medium sized fennel
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tender celery stalk and some pale green leaves, finely chopped
¼ cup green olives, pitted and sliced
¼ cup capers (if salted, rinsed and soaked)
1 ripe tomato, peeled and chopped (or canned)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbs wine vinegar, white
salt and pepper to taste
PROCESSES
Preparethe fennel: Remove any outer layers of the fennel that look damaged, trim the base and discard. Keep any young, soft fennel fronds to add to the caponata. Slice the fennel bulbs in half vertically and then into quarters. Continue to cut the fennel into thin slices keeping them attached at the bottom. Place extra virgin olive oil in the pan and when it is hot add the onion, fennel and celery and sauté until they begin to colour. Add the olives, capers, tomato and salt. Cover and simmer gently until the fennel has softened (10-15 mins). Remove the contents from the pan, add sugar to the same pan and stir over medium heat, When it begins to caramelize add the vinegar and evaporate. This is the essential agro-dolce (sweet and sour) sauce. Return all the contents back into the pan and stir through.
Caponata is presented at room temperature and usually accompanied with fresh bread to mop up the juices.
The Sicilian caponata is commonly made with eggplants especially in Palermo However, my mother’s family comes from Catania where this version of caponata also contains peppers (capsicums) as one of the principal ingredients. This regional variationis also found in many other parts of Sicily and not just in the southeastern areas.I’ve enjoyed this peppery caponata in restaurants across various Sicilian cities, including Syracuse, Sciacca, Mazara del Vallo, Agrigento, Ragusa Ibla, and Caltagirone.
Apart from the main vegetables (eggplants as in Palermo or eggplants and peppers as in Catania) the principal and most common flavourings that characterise any Sicilian caponata are: celery, onion, capers, green olives and the sweet and sour, caramelised sauce made with vinegar and sugar (the agro dolce).
Sicilians love to debate the authentic version of caponata (as they do with all recipes), with each family having their own cherished version. Some prefer tomato paste instead of chopped tomatoes, while others swear by the addition of garlic or even chocolate. Nuts like almonds, pine nuts, or pistachios frequently make an appearance, and herbs such as basil, oregano, or mint vary from one recipe to another. Some versions include raisins or currants, while others add fresh pears. One neighbor of mine, whose family also from Catania, even adds a few potatoes.This is very foreign to me, but obviously it happens.
Summer and autumn are prime seasons for making caponata, as peppers and eggplants are at their peak and this is a reason why it is perfect for an Australian Christmas. However, Sicily’s climate allows for eggplants and peppers year-round, thanks to the extensive use of serre (greenhouses) that were initially installed in great numbers in 1960-1965. These have continued to grow in numbers. Sicily, followed by Spain has the highest numbers of eggplants in terms of cultivation
Caponata brings a burst of flavour and tradition to the Christmas festivities and is also served during New Year celebrations. This iconic, vibrant dish, with its rich blend of eggplants, peppers, (and to a non-Sicilian), other surprising ingredients such as capers, olives and agrodolce sauce, lifts the spirits of the season and makes the meal a celebration.
Before the serre (glasshouses), eggplants and peppers were not in season and there were versions of caponata made with green leafy vegetables (pre-cooked in boiling salted water, drained, then added to the sautéed onion, olives, capers and the agro dolce sauce). This was called the Christmas caponata. There is also a not very common version of winter caponata made with celery, almonds and sultanas that I rather like, (recipe link below).
Unlike typical side dishes, caponata is often served as a small appetizer (or a spuntino – a snack), paired with a slice of bread to mop up the juices. It is intended to whet the appetite. After enjoying this savory starter, a meal might continue with a primo (first course), a secondo (main dish), a contorno (side vegetables), a dolce (dessert) and probably more sweets.
I always fry my vegetables separately because vegetables cook at different rates and it is far better to fry or sauté food in batches than crowd the pan.
Traditionally in caponata, the celery is pre-cooked in salted, boiling water before being added to the other ingredients. However, because I like the taste of the crunchy celery I have never pre-cooked it.
The legacy of my grandmother’s caponata continues to thrive. Friends who have savored my version are now inspired to make it themselves.
I cooked caponata for my cousin, who visited me in Melbourne from the US several years ago. He and his wife were enthralled by the dish, and it stirred up fond memories of his mother’s cooking—my aunt (my mother’s sister), who died several years ago. He asked me to send him the recipe, and when he received it, he replied:
“As I read your recipe for caponata, I could smell the flavors, just like when my mother was making it.”
Now, he’s sharing the joy of caponata with his friends and family back in the US, keeping the tradition alive across the ocean.
This version of caponata was published in the summer issue of the magazine, Italianicious (Essence of Italy, Dec 2009). The summer issue was a special edition on Sicily and I was asked to contribute. Each issue of Italianicious contains information and stories about all things Italian in Italy and in Australia.
Do not feel intimidated by the long list of steps to cook it. It really is a very simple process, but it does take some time to make.
INGREDIENTS
For 4-6 people
extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup (more or less – depending how much the vegetables will absorb)
eggplants, 2 large, dark skinned variety
peppers, 3, preferably 1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow (variation of colour is mainly for appearance, but the red and yellow ones taste sweeter)
onion, 1, large, sliced thinly,
red tomatoes, 2 medium size, peeled and chopped, or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and a little water
capers, ½ cup, salted or in brine
green olives, ¾ cup, stoned, chopped
celery, 2-3 tender stalks and the pale green leaves (both from the centre of the celery)
white, wine vinegar, 2 spoonfulls
½ cup sugar,
1 tablespoon of salt (to soak the eggplants)
some freshly ground pepper and extra salt as needed
basil leaves, several
PROCESSES
Preparation of the ingredients:
Cut the eggplant into cubes (approx 30mm) – do not peel. Place the cubes into abundant water with about 1 tablespoon of salt. Leave for about 30 minutes – this will keep the flesh white and the eggplant is said to absorb less oil if soaked previously.
Prepare the capers – if they are the salted variety, ensure they have been rinsed thoroughly and then soaked for about 30 minutes before use, and then rinsed again.
Cut the peppers into slices (approx 20mm) or into rectangular shapes.Slice the onion.
Slice the celery sticks and the green leaves finely.Peel, and coarsely chop the tomatoes (or use tomato paste).
The Cooking:
Drain the eggplants and squeeze them to remove as much water as possible – I use a clean tea towel.
Heat a large frypan over medium heat with ¾ cup of the extra virgin olive oil.Add eggplant cubes and sauté until soft and golden (about 10-12 minutes). Place the drained eggplants into a large bowl and set aside (all of the vegetables will be added to this same bowl). Drain the oil from the eggplants back into the same frypan and re-use this oil to fry the next ingredients.
Add some new oil (to the left-over eggplant oil) plus a little salt and sauté the peppers, until wilted and beginning to turn brown (about 10-12 minutes). Remove the peppers from the pan and drain the oil from the peppers back into the same frypan. Place the peppers in the bowl with the eggplants.
Add a little more oil to the pan and sauté the celery gently for 5-7 minutes, so that it retains some of its crispness (in more traditional recipes, the celery is always boiled until soft before being sautéed). Sprinkle the celery with a little salt while it is cooking. Remove the celery from the pan and add it to the eggplants and peppers.
Sauté the onion, having added a little more oil to the frypan. Add a little salt and cook until translucent. Add the tomatoes or the tomato paste (with a little water) to the onions, and allow their juice to evaporate. Add the capers and olives. Allow these ingredients to cook gently for 1- 2 minutes. Empty the contents of the frypan into the bowl with the other cooked vegetables.
For the agro- dolce sauce (sweet and sour sauce):
Add the sugar to the frypan (already coated with the caramelised flavours from the vegetables). Heat it very gently until it begins to melt and bubble. Add the vinegar and evaporate. Incorporate the cooked vegetables into the frypan with the agro-dolce sauce.
Add ground pepper, check for salt and add more if necessary. Add basil leaves: these are likely to discolour and I usually remove them and replace them with fresh basil leaves at the time of serving.
Gently toss all of the ingredients over low heat for 2-3 minutes to blend the flavours.
Remove the caponata from the pan and cool before placing it into one or more containers. Store in the fridge until ready to use – it will keep well for up to one week and it improves with age.
The final touches, select from the following options and sprinkle on the top of the caponata:
Crispy pangrattato – breadcrumbs from day-old, good quality bread. The crumbs are tossed in a pan with a little hot extra virgin olive oil until they are golden, toasted and crunchy.
Pine nuts or blanched chopped almonds, toasted.
Fresh basil or mint leaves.
Eat the caponata at room temperature accompanied by good quality bread to mop up the juices.
*** I first published this post In Feb 2010.
In my Book Sicilian Seafood Cooking, there is a whole chapter devoted to Caponata – made with various vegetables.
Sicilian Seafood Cooking was first published in Nov. 2011 and republished in Dec. 2014.
One very flavourful way to cook potatoes as a contorno (a side dish, an accompaniment to any main dish) is the Caponata di patate (potato caponata). Caponata personifies Sicilian cuisine and as you’d expect, there are many regional variations of this recipe.
I first ate a Caponata di patate in Catania, hence the photos of Catania as an accompaniment to fish.
Fish Market in Catania
About caponata
There are other Sicilian caponate (plural of caponata) made with other vegetables, for example, caponata di carciofi (artichokes) caponata di verdura verde (green leafy vegetables) and caponata di patate (see recipe below). The principal and most common flavourings that characterise a Sicilian caponata remain the same: the celery, capers, green olives and the sweet and sour caramelised sauce made with vinegar and sugar (agro dolce).
Many recipes contain nuts – almonds or pine nuts or pistachio, used fresh in some recipes, in others they are toasted. Frequently herbs are added – sometimes basil, at other times oregano or mint. Certain recipes also include raisins or currants and some, fresh pears. Several include fish, singly or in combination of canned tuna, prawns, octopus, salted anchovies and bottarga.
To make caponata I always sauté (on high heat) my vegetables separately and then combine them at the end in the agro dolce (sweet and sour) sauce.
CAPONATA DI PATATE
(Potato caponata)
This caponata can be eaten hot or at room temperature. It also keeps well refrigerated for several days.
The potatoes in this caponata are fried until lightly golden. The ingredients commonly used to make caponata – onions, celery, olives, capers, tomatoes and the vinegar and sugar for the agro dolce – are cooked together separately. The potatoes are then added to the other cooked component.
I often pre cook the potatoes first before tossing them into the hot oil to fry. saves time and the potatoes result more crisp.
INGREDIENTS potatoes, 1.5 kg celery, 1 heart (the centre pale green stalks and some of the fine leaves) onion, 2, large, chopped capers, ½ cup, salted or in brine green olives, ¾ cup , stoned, chopped white vinegar, ¾ glass sugar, 3 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup (or more) salt and freshly ground pepper parsley, 1 cup, cut finely tomato passata, 1 cup
PROCESSES Peel and cube the potatoes and place onto a clean tea towel (or paper) to dry. Fry the potatoes in hot extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt – do not crowd the potatoes and if needed use a wide frypan or cook in batches. Turn occasionally until they are cooked and golden. Drain the potatoes and set aside. You can use this same oil to braise the vegetables (purists would use new oil). Heat the oil and add the onions and the celery. Stir frequently and cook over a moderate heat until the onion is golden and the celery has softened. Add seasoning and parsley. Add the tomatoes, capers and olives and toss the ingredients together for about 5 minutes. Add sugar and vinegar and increase the heat to high to evaporate some of the vinegar. Add the potatoes, cook for about 4-5 minutes to blend the flavours. Serve at room temperature.
VARIATIONS Add either chopped, toasted almonds or pistachio before serving (either on top or through the caponata) and scatter with fresh mint leaves.
