Caponata Recipe

Sicilian Caponata Recipe with a touch of toasted almonds. A delicious appetizer or side dish loved by all Sicilians and now also loved by everyone around the world. Let Nonna Angelina show you how to make an authentic and classic Sicilian Caponata as they have been making it for years in Carini, Sicily.

Ingredients

For 6 Person(s)

For the Caponata:

2 medium sized eggplant
3 stalks of celery chopped in small pieces
2 tablespoons baby capers
1/2 cup chopped green olives
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds
1/4 cup sugar + 4 tablespoons
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Get your Sicilian Caponata HERE
Wash and cut the eggplant in cubes of about 1" thick. Do not peel the eggplant.
Optionally put the eggplant pieces in a colander, salt it and let drain until the water begins to drip. About 10 mins.
Rinse the eggplant in cold water and dry with a towel or paper.
Fry all the eggplant pieces until golden brown. Put in a plate lined with paper towels.
Boil the celery in hot water. Once tender, shut the flame and add the capers and the olives.. Keep everything in the hot water for about 3-4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a saute pan add the EV Olive oil and saute the onion.
Once the onion is translucent add the crushed tomatoes.
Saute for a few minutes and add the boiled celery mixture. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the fried eggplant and cook for 3 minutes.
Dissolve the 1/4 cup of sugar in the vinegar and add to the pan. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Add the 4Tbsp of sugar to the chopped almonds.
Move the caponata to a serving plate and garnish with the chopped almonds.