Roasted eggplant with caponata recipe - a classic Sicilian side dish
I turn caponata into a more substantial dish with this roasted eggplant and caponata with feta recipe.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg – 1.2kg eggplant / aubergine about 3 – 4 depending on size
- extra-virgin olive oil for cooking
- 1 large brown or red onion finely chopped
- 1 big red or yellow pepper finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 125 ml 1/2 cup water
- 1 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup golden sultanas
- 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar +2 Tbsp
- 3 Tbsp capers drained
- ½ -3/4 cup green olives pitted or left whole
- ½ tsp – 1 tsp dried chilli flakes optional
- Small handful basil roughly chopped (about 7gms)
- 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- 100 grams feta cheese I loved a barrel-fermented goats cheese feta with this
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C /400F and brush a large baking sheet with olive oil.
- Cut the eggplants in half or quarters depending on the size (or a mix of both) and brush all sides with olive oil. Season them well with salt & pepper and spread them out cut side down on the baking tray. Roast for about 30 – 40 minutes until golden in colour and are cooked through. Turn over once or twice halfway through.
- While the eggplants are roasting, heat a glug of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the onions, pepper, and celery until soft. About 5 minutes. Add a splash of water if they start to stick. Add the tomato paste and a little more of the water and cook for a minute or two until the water has cooked off. Add the tin of tomatoes, sultanas and sugar and cook for about 5 minutes. Add whatever water is left.
- Add the vinegar, capers, olives, and chilli and cook for about 5 minutes seasoning with a little salt and pepper. Allow this to cool to room temperature.
- When the eggplants are roasted, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. Place on a serving platter and spoon over the caponata. Crumble the feta over if you are using it and sprinkle the toasted pine nuts and basil leaves.
- Serve with crusty bread and a salad or with any meat or fish dish. This is perfect for a BBQ/braai.
Notes
Storage Instructions for Caponata
- Refrigerate: Allow the caponata to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight glass container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze caponata for up to 3 months. Portion it into freezer-safe containers, leaving a little space for expansion. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stove over low heat or in the microwave until heated through. You can also enjoy it cold or at room temperature — it often tastes even better the next day as the flavours deepen.
- Make ahead: Caponata is perfect for preparing ahead of time. The flavours improve after resting for a few hours or overnight, making it an excellent dish for entertaining.