The humble caponata is a delicious sweet-and-sour Sicilian vegetable stew. Caponata is a sweet and tart Sicilian staple that changes the underestimated eggplant into a superstar. There are many caponata varieties, each highlighting ingredients from Palermo to Catania. Eggplant can absorb anything whatever flavors are tossed at it, making it one of the most outstanding vegetables to keep nearby this season. Try out the quick and easy recipe for Caponata pasta.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 250g chargrilled Mediterranean veg (peppers and aubergines,) and roughly chopped
- 400g can of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp small capers
- 350g rigatoni, penne, or any other short pasta shape
- bunch basil leaves, picked
- parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), shaved, to serve
Method:
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and fry the onion, garlic, and celery for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant, aubergine, and tomato purée and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Then, add salt to taste then add black pepper before serving with your pasta of choice.
Add the vinegar and sugar to the pan and mix well. Stir in the tomatoes, capers, olives, and basil, then season with salt and pepper. If you like you can add a little more sugar or vinegar to taste, to balance out the flavors more to your liking. Cover & cook over low heat for around 10 minutes, until softened.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to pack instructions then drain well. Serve with caponata spooned generously on top and grated Parmesan if you like.
- Make sure the pasta is cooked al dente ( to the tooth).
- Make sure the caponata is warm, not hot, or too runny. It should be thick enough to coat the pasta but not so thick that it’s dry and gloopy – a good test is to see how much sauce you need before adding extra water.
- Don’t overdo the sugar: 1 tablespoon should be enough for 4 servings of pasta; if you’re using dried tomatoes instead of fresh ones, add another teaspoon or so because they’re sweeter than sun-dried tomatoes.
To sum up
And there you have it! This is a delicious recipe that will make you feel like you’re in Italy. It’s perfect for this time of year when your garden is full of fresh tomatoes and basil and all the makings of a great caponata. This is the sort of supper to appreciate on a Saturday night with your favorite wine, however, it’s so easy you can pull it off midweek, as well. If you want to learn more about Italian food, check out some other recipes on our site–there are lots available!
