Eggplant Caponata

Caponata or Eggplant Caponata may have originated in Spain and migrated to Italy before making it's way to America primarily via Italian immigrants. Caponata is a sweet and sour dish or as they say in Italian agro dolce. I am a big fan of agro dolce dishes because the argument between the two contrasting flavors as they dance around your palate is one of the most thrilling things your tongue can do while remaining inside your mouth.

Caponata is one of those wonderfully rustic dishes that is born of simple inexpensive ingredients whose ordinary notes combine to create a symphony of taste. This may seem to be hyperbole but it is not. Caponata, can be served as an appetizer, snack or as part of a meal made of tappas (small dishes). It only gets better with time which is great because you can make it and eat it today, tomorrow and the next day and have three different experiences with the same batch.

If your only experience with caponata is the kind that comes in a can and a relatively expensive can at that treat yourself and perhaps someone special to a treat and make some from scratch. How expensive is relatively expensive? Well this recipe will cost you less then $7. (probably much less) and makes about 2 pounds of finished product. If you buy 2 pounds worth in the cans it will cost you about $15.

My caponata is well mine, I based it on a few recipes and find my version suits my palate perfectly. I have seen the recipe include cocoa or chocolate and perhaps one day
With all my recipes I don't mind if you change them, improve them or take credit for them as you own. Just enjoy them


Eggplant Caponata 

Ingredients

1 - 1.5 – 2 lb eggplant - Cut into ½” Cubes

1 Large Yellow or Spanish Onion -  ½” Dice

2 Celery Ribs – Split in half & ¼” Chop

1/3 lb Oil Cured Olives (Sicilian or Kalamata or both) Rough Cut

2 Tbs Capers Rinsed

1  Can Diced Tomatoes (Italian Type)

Alt 1 Very large Beefsteak or 3-4 Roma\Plum tomatoes ½”  dice tossed with dry basil, oregano and thyme.

1/3 Cup Pignoli (Pine) Nuts

2 Cloves of Garlic Minced

1 Tbs Tomato Paste

¼ Cup Balsamic Vinegar

2 Tbs Sugar

½ cup of water

2 Tbs Olive Oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Preparation

In a heavy skillet heat your olive oil to just below smoke point and onions between 5-8 minutes. Sautee onions until they are soft\translucent and brown around the edges.

Add eggplant, celery and garlic, continue cooking until eggplant is browned and soft about 10 minutes.

If you are using fresh tomatoes add them at the same time as the eggplant, if you are using canned tomatoes add them (undrained) about 5 minutes after you add the eggplant.

When Eggplant is cooked add sugar, salt and pepper along with about ½ cup of water.

Add chopped olives and about 2 tbs of the brine if you have it.

When water is almost all gone add balsamic Vinegar and pignoli (pine) nuts.

Add the capers

Cook out all visible remaining liquid (a couple of minutes at most)

Serve warm on crostini or focaccia or refrigerate and reheat to room temperature when needed.

Notes
When it comes to the type of eggplant you use, you choose. I like making this using Sicilian eggplants with Sicilian and Kalamata olives. I don't peel my eggplants before I cut them up because (I could be wrong) I think the skin brings a little extra flavor, color and texture to the caponata.  Sometimes I toast my nuts, sometimes I don't, depends on my mood but mostly whether I remember or not. I understand if you use canned tomatoes, I avoid them because of the added salt, I like to control exactly what goes in my food rather then someone else.