When I’m looking for a party snack that everyone will love, I turn to appetizer recipes such as a mezze platter, mini quiches or this vibrant and flavorful eggplant caponata. Whenever I see caponata on the menu at a restaurant, I have to order it. I just love the complex flavors, especially when served over a piece of toasted bread! I’ve since learned to make this dish from Italy at home, and it happens to be quite simple to put together.
Caponata Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need eggplant, olive oil, salt, black pepper, red onion, red bell pepper, celery, garlic, capers, olives, tomatoes, raisins, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, pine nuts and fresh herbs.
How Do You Make Caponata?
Start by cutting an eggplant into cubes and roasting it in the oven until golden brown. Heat olive oil in a pan, then add diced red onions, celery and red bell peppers, and cook until the veggies are tender. Next, add the roasted eggplant along with tomatoes, raisins, olives, capers and seasonings. Let everything simmer until the mixture is thickened. Stir in fresh herbs along with toasted pine nuts, then serve or refrigerate for later use. Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!
Tips For the Perfect Dish
Feel free to prepare this dish up to 3 days in advance. Eggplant relish actually tastes best if you let it sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This gives the flavors time to meld. You can use any herbs you like to finish the dish. The most common choices are fresh parsley, mint, basil or some combination of those herbs. The finished dish should take on an almost jam-like consistency. Don’t be afraid to cook the mixture until you reach the perfect level of thickness. You can freeze caponata for up to 2 months. Simply thaw the dish overnight in the fridge, then reheat over low heat on the stove until everything is warm and any excess water has evaporated.
How To Serve Caponata
While this dish is most often an appetizer with crostini, I actually like to offer it in numerous ways.
Pizza: Dress up a plain cheese pizza by adding dollops of caponata over the top after it comes out of the oven. Pasta: This dish makes for a great pasta sauce. Toss it with penne or spaghetti and serve as-is or with grilled chicken on top. Sandwiches: Create the ultimate vegetarian sandwich by spreading caponata onto an Italian style roll and adding slices of fresh mozzarella and a handful of greens such as arugula. Topping: Spoon this eggplant over grilled chicken tenders, sirloin steak or grilled swordfish to make your meal extra special.
This dish is absolutely loaded with flavor, and I find myself making it on a regular basis. It’s just that good!
Caponata Video
