Caponato
Caponato is a flavorful Italian eggplant and vegetable spread with olives, capers, and herbs, perfect as an appetizer with toasted baguette slices for gatherings or casual snacking.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil ⓘ
- 2 cups diced celery ⓘ
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes ⓘ
- 1 large onion, chopped ⓘ
- 1/3 cup wine vinegar ⓘ
- 1 teaspoon sugar ⓘ
- 2 large tomatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 cup water ⓘ
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained ⓘ
- 1/4 cup pimento-stuffed olives, sliced ⓘ
- 1 (2 1/4 oz.) can sliced ripe black olives, drained ⓘ
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley ⓘ
- Salt and pepper ⓘ
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan.
- Add diced celery and cook until tender, stirring often.
- Remove celery from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add eggplant to the pan and sauté over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned and tender enough to mash easily.
- Add chopped onion and continue cooking and stirring until onion is soft but not brown.
- Using a slotted spoon, lift the eggplant and onion from the pan and add to the celery.
- Pour in wine vinegar, sugar, diced tomatoes, and water into the pan.
- Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Return the eggplant mixture to the pan.
- Stir in drained capers, sliced olives, and minced parsley.
- Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.
- Add salt if desired.
- Remove from heat, cool, and refrigerate in a covered jar overnight or up to a week.
- Serve at room temperature as an appetizer with toasted baguette slices.
Nutrition & Diet Analysis (per serving)
446
kcal
22% DV
Protein
Fat
Carbs
* % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA 2020).