{"id":35413,"date":"2020-07-08T14:08:25","date_gmt":"2020-07-08T18:08:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.themediterraneandish.com\/?p=35413"},"modified":"2020-08-16T08:18:24","modified_gmt":"2020-08-16T12:18:24","slug":"caponata-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themediterraneandish.com\/caponata-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Eggplant Caponata Recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You’ll love the combination of savory, sweet, and sour flavors in this creamy eggplant caponata with onions, tomato and olives! A great make-ahead appetizer to serve over crusty bread or use next to chicken or fish! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In Mediterranean cooking, there is no shortage of tasty eggplant recipes<\/a>! Some favorites around here include eggplant rollatini<\/a>; classic moussaka<\/a>; and stuffed eggplant<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m excited to add one more tasty eggplant creation from Italy: Caponata! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ll love the loads of texture and flavor in this vegan eggplant salad. And because it tastes better the next day, it’s the perfect make-ahead appetizer to serve over crostini or toasted bread of your choice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is caponata?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Caponata Sicilian is one of Sicily’s essential dishes. Pronounced ka·puh·naa<\/strong>·tuh, it is a vegetarian eggplant salad–more like a relish, really–made of eggplant, onions, bell pepper, celery and tomatoes with briny olives and capers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are variations of this tasty eggplant salad. Most are spiked with vinegar. Some call for raisins, which I love and use in this caponata recipe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a kick of sweetness, many recipes call for brown sugar, but I use a bit of honey, which is sufficient given the addition of raisins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have them, add some toasted pine nuts at the very end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ratatouille vs. Caponata<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some describe caponata as the Sicilian version of ratatouille<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two may have something in common as both use diced summer vegetables cooked with a bit of tomato. But, to me, ratatouille is more of a saucy stew, and the veggies will vary depending on what you have on hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caponata is more of a salad or an appetizer that is altogether savory, sweet, and sour, thanks to the use of briny olives, salty capers, sweet raisins, and a spike of vinegar. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s best served at room temperature topping some crusty bread. And it’s also great as a relish to elevate your roast lamb<\/a>, chicken<\/a> or fish such as pan-seared salmon<\/a> or trout<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What you’ll need to make it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The ingredients to make caponata are simple and readily available in most grocery stores. Together, they give this little vegetarian eggplant salad all sorts of beautiful texture and special flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n