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Sicilian Baked Caponata is the new hero of your weeknight meals.
You loved my Caponatina, so I decided to share with you her lightweight sister: Sicilian Caponata using only one pan and the oven! Perfect for those days you have zero envy to stay in the kitchen.
A sweet and sour dish that pairs well with fish or meat because of its dual nature. I wouldn’t recommend it as a starter because the zingy sweet and sour can alter the taste of the other dishes.
Quick reminder: Caponata needs one day to rest in order to express herself. Respect the rule and you’ll be rewarded with a feast of flavors.
Just a few ingredients that you have just to combine in only one baking pan, using your hands, no bowls, no food processor, no blender, no mess.
A win-win.
Ingredients:
The ingredients are exactly the same as the Caponatina:
For 4 people:
- 4 medium eggplant (about 2lbs/1kg) cut in cubes (1.2 inches, max 2)
- 1 small celery stalk minced (note: I don’t usually add celery in my Caponatina as…I cannot digest celery).
- 1 large red onion thinly sliced lengthwise (if you can’t digest onion, let the slices soak in cold water for as long as you can, at least 10 mins)
- 6 oz of pitted green olives
- 1/4 cup of capers, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup of tomato paste (a common ingredient in Sicilian cuisine)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar mixed with 2 tbsp of honey (you can swap for white wine vinegar and sugar) but remember to taste it. It has to be a balanced mix.
- a handful of Passoline e Pinoli, a mix made by tiny raisins and pine nuts widely used in Sicilian recipes. I make my own with the Trader’s Joe’s golden raisins and pine nuts.
- a handful of basil leaves
- 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Preheat your oven at 400 F°/200 C°.
Start cutting eggplants in cubes in 1,2 inches/2 inches. Place them in the baking sheet ( I use a nonstick pan or just add parchment paper)
If you like celery, minced it and add it on top. The traditional recipe requires the celery, but I don’t like it, so I skip it. Slice the red onions thinly, the green olives and place them on the pan, arrange over the eggplants. Add capers, pine nuts, and raisins.
In a glass combine the apple cider vinegar with honey, and stir until well dissolved. Taste it and adjust if too sweet or too sour. You can mix it to the tomato paste and place it over the rest of the ingredients on the baking pan. (Please remember the basil leaves, that I forgot when I took these pictures! #reallife)
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Now it’s time to use your hands and mix all together.
Place in a preheated oven at 400°F/200 C° and bake for 40 minutes, and remember to toss it at half time.
NOTE: Remember that: Caponata gives all its best the day after, that keeps well for up to three days in the fridge and that you can freeze it (just be sure to thaw in the fridge).
