I make kim chee regularly and leave that out for 2-3 days at a time without refrigeration. Velvety chicken, canned pineapple, and ketchup come together in this beloved Chinese takeout recipe by way of Oahu. Takes all morning to make, and totally worth it. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Ad Choices, 1 tablespoon kosher salt or 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, 4 medium celery ribs, cut crosswise into very thin, 1/3 cup large green Sicilian olives (1 3/4 oz), pitted and coarsely chopped, 1 3/4 oz Italian capers packed in salt (1/3 cup), rinsed well, 1 (14- to 15-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained and chopped (1 cup). The authentic Sicilian eggplant caponata recipe is a sauted eggplant side dish with tomato, olives, capers, vinegar, and almonds or pine nuts. Have a lovely vacation! Oven Baked Caponata Print Recipe Pin Recipe Author: Living the Gourmet Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes Yield: 4-6 1 x Category: Main Dish Ingredients Units Scale 2 whole eggplant - peeled and diced 1 large sweet onion - chopped 5 cloves of garlic - chopped 3 stalks of celery - chopped This recipe is an adaptation of one in Cucina del Sole: A Celebration of Southern Italian Cooking by Nancy Harmon Jenkins (Morrow, 2007). (I ended up using a total of 1 cup/250ml.). Rinse eggplant and pat dry with paper towels. A vegan Italian dish with a deep, layered umami base that's rich like a stew. them the first time Was searching on the internet for a caponata recipe with items I have on hand right now due to the Coronavirus shutdown that is going go. I do recommend tasting it a lot to get that right sweet/sour agrodulce taste so necessary. everyone who helped We don't just eat cookies! I've had caponata at a friend's and it was the best thing I tasted, trying to make this myself has been a big let down. What an eye! This probably would be great with WAY less vinegar. This looks fantastic. This is great & so easy to make, I Stir to combine. Finish with fresh parsley and mint. This caponata is a vibrant mixture of fresh vegetables, including eggplant, onion, celery and tomatoes. Cover and chill.). It may be just your particular eggplant? Rinse eggplant in a colander under running water, then squeeze dry in small handfuls. Over the years I learned to deal with it. So excited! Cook together for a minute, until the garlic begins to smell fragrant, and add the peppers and teaspoon of salt. Excellent over pasta! By topping shingled silken tofu with a savory stir-fry of pork and eggplant, you get the perfect marriage of hot and cold. But when I measured out what I used, it wasnt as much as I thought. Add eggplant and remaining oil to pan, stir to coat. There really are good ones that speed things up and sometimes its the difference between making something and just not so why be doctrinaire about it when a resource is easily available? Remove from heat and stir in olives, capers and currants and vinegar. Allow to cool to room temperature. But, an absolutely brilliant recipe so full of flavors and just wonderful on homemade seasoned toasts. How do you avoid that? Caponata! I couldn't find my usual caponata recipe so I tried this one. Oh, and yes its always better at room temperature the next day! If youre fortunate to get good tomatoes where you are and want to make your own tomato sauce, Ive linked to Fabrizias salsa pronta recipe at the end of the post. Add the eggplants and fry them (medium/low heat) until well cooked. Subscribe to Gourmet Traveller - your trusted source and authority for the best in food, wine and travel. BTW - photo includes items not in recipe - green olives and I think peppers. Trim the stems off eggplant and cut into 1-inch (3cm) pieces. Cook until hot. This recipe is from the March 2013 issue of . The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. And it's also great as a relish to elevate your roast lamb, chicken or fish such as pan-seared salmon or trout. Put eggplant into a colander set over a large bowl; toss with 1 tbsp. Remove the leaves from the celery branches and cut the branches into 1/2-inch (1,25cm) thick slices. Definitely will make again! I think if you removed the skin, the eggplant pieces may fall apart. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast until the eggplant is soft and mushy,. However, I tried looking for salsa pronta at the Italian stalls, but didnt see any. Have made many different caponatas, but this one is my fav. Followed the recipe exactly except for swapping balsamic for white wine vinegar. used my 'stick ), cut into 12" cubes, 3 ripe medium tomatoes (about 1 lb. onions and celery at the end to cook. I didnt have the patience for it to cool, so had it with farro and a fried egg tonight. Add diced tomatoes with juice, then. Toss eggplant in 1 tbsp salt and set aside to draw out moisture (15-20 minutes). Thanks! Eggplant has the texture that allows to absorb oil like a sponge. Get my newsletter for a tasty mix of food, Paris, life, and travel! 3 It was devoured by all.Next time I will peel. A while back, there was an article about deal-breakers in recipes, an ingredient or technique that make someone not want to make a recipe. I like this because it gives really good tomato flavor and I dont have to deal with the added sugar and other flavors that commercial sauces so often use to enhance the flavor. be good and still 1 Toss eggplant in 1 tbsp salt and set aside to draw out moisture (15-20 minutes). Looks great, complimenti! Add onion and stir until golden and softened (5 minutes). Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. For a kick of sweetness, many recipes call for brown sugar, but I use a bit of honey, which is sufficient given the addition of raisins. Anyone have any thoughts about this? ), but my golly was it worth it. Pit and halve 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. Great post. Toggle navigation. Mine is deep-frying. Hate to use so much oil. Our favorite lunch is a nice thick slab of rustic bread, grilled, with a slather of good goat cheese, topped with caponata. Yum, yum. I did follow one reviewer's Fried the eggplant in about an inch of olive oil, but with the pan at a low enough heat it really didnt splatter at all (maybe took longer). It is a really awful recipe. Ingredients 1 large eggplant Olive oil Kosher salt 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 1 bulb fennel, cored and chopped 1 Tbs tomato paste 2 Tbs capers 1 cup pitted green olives Note: I didn't have these, but they're kind of important. A great alternative to frying eggplant for the caponata is to grill them in the over. chiffonade of fresh When you start cooking the vegetables separately you lose the whole point of the dish. It is my own recipe that I prepare often in the summer but sometimes in the colder seasons as good vegetable are available in Italy all year around and good Sicilian tomatoes can be found in the winter. Less salty than those recipes calling for the addition of olives. I used jarred, pitted green olives (without the pimento, although you could use them if you want). Repeat with remaining eggplant and oil. I had never made or had caponata before it was terrific and a big hit with all tried it. But it leads me to my green olive conundrum. Easy and delicious! When serving I add a small dollop of quality olive oil from the bottle for fullness (much better when it isnt heated), and a generous dollop of pesto .. the mix tastes like heaven. Add eggplant, onion, and garlic cloves. Cur et tripes. Here in the US, what sort of olives should I buy? A propos of nothing much, have you tried fried capers? Add the rest of the ingredients to make the sauce base. Hope you enjoy your weeks off you will be missed. Either way, be sure to reduce the salt in the recipe to compensate for any saltiness the eggplant might retain. Serve it on baguette slices or crackers. reviews before But if you can get it from a producer or a reputable vendor, thats the best option for sure. yes, those of us lucky enough to live in italy use olive oil to fry too. It's just achieving Because eggplant absorbs flavors like a sponge, its particularly good in such a pungent dish. batch of roasted and used the fig I discovered the recipe years ago in Paris and make it once or twice a year because it is a lot of work. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionists advice. Had I olives or capers in the house it would have been even better. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Added it the next day -think I may have preferred without. is a wonderful David, We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. other ingredients. In a large skillet, toast the almonds over medium heat until golden. Love your recipes and I find you quite funny too! Caponata keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week. Served with crusty Italian bread and a salad, or with a cheese plate and a few bruschettas, the Sicilian eggplant caponata recipe was a delicious dinner saver for a vegetarian Italian family. My favorite book is the art of Sicilian cooking by Anna Muffoletto. Serve at room temperature. So its nice that she doesnt include them. Roasted Summer Vegetable Caponata. The oven must be hot, about 250 celsius and in 20 minutes they are done. 2 Meanwhile, combine the onion, celery and 60ml oil in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until vegetables are softened (5-7 minutes). ), I would not try to sell them on a brownieor chocolate cake. Pat dry with paper towel). I also use fresh tomatoes so added a heaping Tablespoon of tomato paste. And yes, let the onion and celery cook just about as long as possible. Served to guests along with some toasted baguette. I LOVE the noted, replacing the I made this last night for dinner and it was delicious! Transfer as cooked to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a large shallow serving dish in an even layer. Have a great holiday! Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and they smell fragrant. Italians use olive oil not just for frying, but for its flavor, which is an important component of this dish. The authentic Sicilian eggplant caponata recipe is a sauted eggplant side dish with tomato, olives, capers, vinegar, and almonds - or pine nuts. EYB; Home. For long time I have used pine kernels (which incidentally are produced in Tuscany and Lazio and are fairly expensive, 6 Euros for 100 grams in the supermarket) but I have now switched to Sicilian almonds as they often do in Sicily. I love your idea to replace sugar with honey. I cook the eggplant, onions & garlic over very low heat for about 30 min to ensure the eggplant is soft. You deserve it! I thought I found it with this recipe. https://www.davidlebovitz.com/my-food-photogr/. I used two large eggplants, a large onion, a lot of garlic, five celery ribs, a box of chopped tomatoes, , chopped basil, Italian seasoning, chopped fresh thyme and high quality balsamic vinegar. To revisit this recipe, visit My Account, then View saved recipes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. That changed this week, as did my stewed-vegetable life, when I took the first bite of my homemade caponata and all the flavors of the incorrigible island of Sicily came rushing back to me. Glad you liked the ice cream! Season caponata to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate; let cool slightly. celery with fennel Your email address will not be published. Left it on low for a few hours covered and viola! Makes 3 to 4 cups (antipasto or side dish). me tailor this to my I was born and raised in the Mediterranean cosmopolitan city of Port Said, Egypt. Did anyone do so, and live to tell about it? tried this and it was delish BUT eggplant skin was Over the top tuff and ruined the dish. for it to be ready to eat! Like speaking with a kindred soul for me thanks for the link David. I'm currently mixing it with other ingredients to save it in a spaghetti sauce. Made this several times with great success using fresh tomatoes instead of canned. I made the thyme and Parmesan focaccia to go with it, also from Epicurious. tomato paste, preferably Maria Grammatico brand, 12 pitted green olives, such as cerignola, coarsely chopped, 1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced, 2 tbsp. Add vinegar, sugar, and tomato paste; cook until thickened, 34 minutes. ), and Ive never attempted it for same (and other) reasonsthis is an interesting recipe; looks good! [Usually only available here in large grocery chains]. Super tasty! balsamic vinegar called for in the I completely agree about good tomato sauce. Chicken thighs are always delicious, but the briny olives and browned shallots turn these green beans into the star of the show. Each veggie keeps its own taste & crunch, but youre in the kitchen all day! Sicilians arent afraid of using copious amounts of olive oil and cooks there use a lot of it in their cooking. I took other reviewers advice and added the eggplant during cooking. Rub a sheet pan with a bit of olive oil, and place the peppers on it, cut side down. I agree David, worth the luxury! Great make-ahead dish since the flavor really improves after a few hours. This is great. An eggplant dip with a Moroccan twist! Thank you for sharing your taste adventures, after reading your experience I feel as though Ive been on a taste adventure too. Looks delish! Hi David, I am so happy to see you love Caponata! Really enjoyed this. oil in a large skillet over medium-high , add onion, celery, olives, and capers, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 1215 minutes; season with salt and pepper. So happy you're hereLearn More, Your email address will not be published. It's best served at room temperature topping some crusty bread. Add celery and cook, stirring, until onion and celery are deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Thanks! However, there I was, heatingoil in my cast iron skillet and frying up the eggplant for this caponata. I learned to make ratatouille when I was living in France after college. I normally add some diced celery along with the canned tomatoes for a bit more texture. This year I tried Laura Zavans recipe. Have a nice time off. Serve scattered with pine nuts and basil, and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil. Ahh, caponata!!! From the first bite, I was hooked. Mix in fresh basil. 2 Meanwhile, chop celery into 2cm lengths, place in a saucepan, cover with water, add 1 tsp sea salt and bring to the boil. And frying the eggplant in the oil ended up not being nearly as messy as deep-frying and the clean-up took just minutes. Wondrous with grilled sourdough! I assume it is sauteed with the onion, celery and capers? I love Caponata Siciliana. Transfer caponata to serving bowl. change. To keep the oil light what I usually do is drizzle a little olive oil in the pan, throw the eggplant in to brown it up a bit then lower the heat, put the lid on the pan so it kind of steams the eggplant then I continue with the recipe. Place the whole eggplant on the pan, prick with a fork in several places, and rub with olive oil. She loves pasta, melanzane alla parmigiana, hats, suitcases and airports, Christmas, and books. Heat a large cast iron frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil; add the celery, sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring often until just tender but still a beautiful bright green. Meanwhile, position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 425. I used an aged balsamic white vinegar and used less sugar and itnhas a nice refined flavor. Drain if necessary. Remove from heat. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. One addition to caponata that Ive seen are raisins, which are used in Sicilian savory cooking. The balance of vinegarband salt is key. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Eggplant caponata is better the next day, but if you need to serve it on the same day, let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.If you love this caponata, then our equally delicious zaalouk is a must try. Has everyone really been happy with 1/3 cup vinegar??? Youll likely need to add more oil to the pan as you go. taste of the roasted And its not really a deep-fried recipe, which is another reason to make it : ). Since, Ive never tasted or made anything that comes close it, sadly! I do prefer to make my own sauce so it doesnt upset my stomach. If you are concerned that your eggplants might be bitter (if youre shopping at a farmers market, Im pretty sure the people at the stand can tell you more about the varieties that they are selling) but you could salt them but sprinkling them with salt after cutting them up, and letting them drain in a colander for a half an hour or so, shaking the colander a few times to encourage the water to wick away. I made twice the recipe and at that it will get eaten fast. Together, they give this little vegetarian eggplant salad all sorts of beautiful texture and special flavor. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic. I'm going to put this on a Turkish pide. Its a lot of effort but its the only way to get a ratatouille where the ingredients taste of what they are. Amazing caponata! Not ur fault but I guess next time I would peel the eggplant. i moved after 20 years in Paris, to Italy). I am going to try it. Had dinner guests over last night and served this. Easy Authentic Falafel Recipe: Step-by-Step. Sadly, there were no leftovers for me to enjoy the following day. The last few years Ive started adding a square of very dark chocolate, as some Sicilians do. Yo are fabulous! Absolutely delicious! Add tomatoes and celery and increase heat to medium; cook until tomatoes release their juices, 56 minutes. This recipes is an A+! Enzo; may I ask about the almonds. (Ive not seen any caponata recipes that use peeled eggplant.) Fabulous recipe. We love caponata in our house its a staple. While both are stewed eggplant and tomato dishes, they have different origins and ingredients. The only way to do real ratatouille is separately. Lucy Weight, Emma Knowles, Lisa Featherby & Alice Storey, Emma Knowles, Lisa Featherby & Alice Storey. One-Pot Crispy Chicken Thighs With Puttanesca Green Beans. It's best the next day, so try to make it ahead and store it in the fridge in a tight-lid mason jar. I checked out the Salsa Pronto recipe as well. Remove from heat and transfer the caponata to a large, shallow serving platter or bowl and cool. Picholines are too tiny to yield much pulp. Set aside. It is a digital cookbook and cooking guide alike, available on all platforms, that helps home cooks of every level discover, save and organize the worlds best recipes, while also helping them become better, more competent cooks. into a bowl, then I have my own caponata recipe (given to me by a friend in Turin) which is similar to yours, but with a yellow onion instead of red and a sprinkle of pine nuts and basil over the top. Dice 3 medium plum tomatoes, if using. I have made this 3 weeks in a row because eggplant is abundent right now. I love both ratatouille & caponata, fabulous to have a new recipe. Bring to room temperature before serving. They're easy to make and perfect for picnics at the beach or an evening at the Hollywood Bowl. But caponata is better :), Get my newsletter for a tasty mix of food, Paris, life, and travel! I cant wait to try. Preheat oven to 400. I used sunflower oil but you can use a good-quality peanut or canola oil for frying. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Roast in 400 degrees F heated-oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until fully cooked and tender. difficult. The ingredients to make caponata are simple and readily available in most grocery stores. In this version, the onions and celery are caramelized for incredible depth of flavorwhich improves over time. Turn the heat right down, cover and. Required fields are marked *. Remove the eggplants, add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and brown the onion. I also agree with one comment about the parsley I forgot to add it the first day out. Then I served them on a caprese saladexcellent! I wanted a recipe where I could chop a lot of vegetables and leave it in the pot for a while. You can store caponata in the fridge in a tightly-closed mason jar for 5 days or so, or freeze it for later use. Plus roasting is less hands-on, so I can work on the rest of the ingredients while the eggplant is roasting. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. garlic, grated on a This tastes nothing like what I had in Sicily. dried' tomatoes in Substituted two tablespoons of good quality balsamic vinager,added green Sicilian olives and golden raisins for a touch of sweetness. Lovely! David, ), except the oil quantities used. making the first Remove the eggplant with a slotted spoon, and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. This sounds great, cant wait to try it. I add red and orange peppers and chopped garlic to the celery. Ad Choices, 1 1 1/2-pound eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings in juice. profiles I prefer. This was delicious as soon as I mixed it all together. and will try oven roasting with generous olive oil next time. But, to me, ratatouille is more of a saucy stew, and the veggies will vary depending on what you have on hand. Subscribe. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Wash off the salt, pat dry and set aside. wine vinegar as per oil on a baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. them as finely as I Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Caponata offers bold, lively flavors that will complement grilled entres and late summer feasts, and it packs well for picnics. Eggplant is my favorite and specially fried. Every flavor of Sicily, and summer, were concentratedin each forkful, and I couldnt stop eating it. Since 1995, Epicurious has been the ultimate food resource for the home cook, with daily kitchen tips, fun cooking videos, and, oh yeah, over 33,000 recipes. My neighbor grew several varieties, all of them were smallish and egg shaped but in a variety of colors. (Especially since she avoids adding green peppers, which ruin many caponata recipes for me.) Absolute food of the gods and a staple at my house thanks to the year round blessing of good canned or boxed San Marzanos. But I love anything with aubergine in. He made it with the raisins and pine nuts. "Caponata is one of the more complex dishes in the Sicilian repertoire," says Casey Wall of Melbourne's. Wine suggestion A white such as the 2005 Contini Vernaccia di Oristano from Sardinia. To the lady concerned about it being unrefrigeratedrelax. One could make fresh tomato sauce but often good-quality tomato sauce that you buy is richer in flavor than fresh, because theyre sometimes produced in regions with better tomatoes than one can buy at their local market. Voila (ps. Theres so much information out there, its hard to sift through it all. Looks DELICIOUS and Im looking forward to trying it. tomatoes. The hard-boiled eggs really complement it. Ingredients Caponata: 1/4 cup olive oil 3 1/2 cups 1/4-inch dice unpeeled eggplant (about 1 1/4 pounds) 3/4 cup finely chopped onion 1/3 cup finely chopped celery 1/3 cup chopped pitted green olives 3 tablespoons chopped drained bottled capers 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste 3 tablespoons golden raisins Add the tomatoes, capers, olives, raisins, honey, bay leaf and crushed pepper flakes. Here, you will find easy, tested-to-perfection, wholesome recipes with big flavors from all over the Mediterranean. Ooh love the idea of this recipe especially since you like it but arent a fan of ratatouille (not a favorite of mine). Caponata recipes 9 Recipes Magazine subscription - your first 5 issues for only 5! Add the eggplant cubes and fry, stirring and turning them so they cook evenly, until the eggplant is golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. My nonna made egg plant under olive oil, which Id devour between 2 pieces of wood oven-cooked bread as well as Parmigiana & Pasta alla Norma. Top with basil and parsley. Leave out the bell pepper and white wine, and swap the red wine vinegar for balsamic to hopefully even up the flavour. I was married to a Sicilian and the food there is fabulous. FYI: In Belgium they call anything mixed and mashed together ratatouille. Like mashed potatoes with endives (aka stoemp). exact tastes. Cant wait to try this. I dont boil celery but fry it separately as I like it a bit crunchy. I immediately went for a quick additional shopping trip and I came back with no aubergine but young zucchini & fresh mushrooms. Its great stuff and does last quite some time in home fridges. 12 cup golden raisins (I used half for a less sweet caponata) 14 cup salt-packed capers, rinsed and drained 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar (I used 1 tablespoon, but sweeter is more traditional) 12 cup finely slivered basil 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted until golden and cooled In a large skillet (12 inches is ideal), heat oil over medium-high heat. The suggestions save you have to know where you oil comes from, so much commercial oil is faulty and you should not fry with it. Cooking advice that works. I use a timer! Or mix with other veggies. Almost hands-free, no spattering, no stovetop cleanup. Heat a thin film of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium. Served it on cripsy Italian bread to a very discerning group of foodies. Bring it to room temperature before serving. All are foodies and 1 was a chef. time, as I know Add tomato, sugar and 250ml water and simmer until reduced by half (3-4 minutes). Absolutely delicious right from the pot but if you can possibly hold out overnight you will be rewarded with even better taste. I'm sure it's even better after it all melds together overnight. Thebook highlightsher life in Sicily, along with her favorite cheesemakers and farmers on the island, including the most incredible fresh ricotta Ive ever had, and change-your-life tomato paste. Main 1 Cut eggplant into 1.5cm dice, then place in a colander, scatter with sea salt and leave to drain for 30 minutes. blender' to chop Remove the almonds from the skillet and set them aside. Each vegetable is cooked separately, and then they are layered,so the distinctive flavor of each ingredient is retained. My father was from Rome and my mum is from Malta but making caponata was as an important ritual as it is making tomato sauce in the idea of Italianism. Thank you David. Serve immediately with fresh basil or allow to cool and serve as a pasta salad at room temperature. Season with salt, then fry the rest of the eggplant in batches, seasoning them with salt as you remove them from the oil. NYT Cooking is a subscription service of The New York Times. Just as another cook This is the only time since all the years I've been enjoying Bon Appetit recipes that I've been so disappointed. Deglaze pan with vinegar and sugar, scraping base of pan, then add tomato sauce and simmer until reduced by half (5-6 minutes). And Im wondering how you get so much into the focal plane in your close ups. Any good Italian grocery stores you recommend? The dish is cooked with olives, capers, and olive oil. With bold crunch from cucumber and shallots, this tangy, spicy, sweet Thai-inspired dressing is great on grilled meatsand tasty enough to eat by the spoonful. Served with crusty Italian bread and a salad, or with a cheese plate and a few bruschettas, the Sicilian eggplant caponata recipe was a delicious dinner saver for a vegetarian Italian family. oil on a baking sheet; season with salt and pepper.. We also sub red peppers for green peppers because the flavor is softer.