Sicilian Sweet-&-Sour Eggplant Caponata

Name: Sicilian Sweet-&-Sour Eggplant Caponata (Caponata di Melanzane)
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ¼ cup (40 g) raisins; 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying; 1 large eggplant, chopped into ½-inch (13 mm) cubes; ¼ cup (40 g) pine nuts; ½ red onion, thinly sliced; 2 ribs celery, chopped; 10 to 15 large pitted green olives (Kalamata olives also work well), cut in half; 10 to 15 large pitted green olives (Kalamata olives also work well), cut in half; 2 tablespoons (25 g) capers; 4 ripe vine tomatoes, cut into quarters; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; ¼ cup (60 ml) white wine vinegar; 1½ tablespoons (20 g) granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; About 6 fresh basil leaves, torn

Caponata di Melanzane

Preparation info

Yield:
3 or 4
servings

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
1 hr 30

Appears in

The Italian Family Kitchen

By Eva Santaguida and Harper Alexander

Published 2024

About

Arab conquerors made their mark on Sicilian food with sugar. This dish is the perfect example of a very common Sicilian flavor profile: sweet and sour. Eggplant caponata has a rich, complex taste with lots of delicious surprises. It’s best left to refrigerate overnight before serving, but you may have a hard time waiting that long.

Ingredients

¼ cup (40 g) raisins
3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60

Europe
Italy
Sicily
Side dish
Gluten-free
Vegan

Method

Soak the raisins in a small bowl of water while you fry the eggplant.
Fill a large, deep pan with about 3 inches (7.5 ml) of olive oil and heat to frying temperature (see How to Fry at Home). Working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, carefully drop the eggplant cubes into the oil and fry, stirring frequently, until t