Caponata alla Ramona

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Hello again, Food Fans!

This is our online recipe catalog’s 100th recipe, and it comes to us from CSA member Ramona K. Clearly, I’m posting it a little out of season, but this is a great summer recipe showcasing those solanaceous family superstars: eggplant, tomato, and bell peppers.

Ramona says: I got this recipe from Loretta M. She told me that she often served it with pasta as a main course. When I made the caponata to take to her in the hospital, I put it over penne but I think it would be good any pasta or over rice. When Loretta used the caponata as an appetizer, she served it with slices of toasted baguette.

Makes about 4 servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs eggplant (about 1 large)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 stalks of celery
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 red bell peppers (Stefan says: I used one red and one orange.)
  • 1 lb ripe tomatoes (Ramona says: or one 14 oz can of whole tomatoes, crushed by hand) (Stefan says: I used a can of diced tomatoes)
  • 3 tablespoons capers, drained
  • 3 tablespoons olives, chopped (Ramona says: I prefer to slice them and generally use those with pimentos…they look better. I have been known to use black olives or any combination of olives I have on hand.)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (Stefan says: I didn’t use any sugar.)
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste (Stefan says: I didn’t add any salt.)

    • Preparation

    1. Heat your pot and add the oil.

    2. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. (Stefan says: From this point until the end, you’ll want to stir everything every couple minutes. There is a chance of your material sticking to the pot.)
    Garlic in the Pan

    3. Add onion and celery and sauté for 5 minutes.

    4. Add peppers and sauté for 8 minutes more.

    5. Add eggplant and sauté for 5 minutes.

    6. And tomatoes and sugar. Sauté for 10 minutes.

    7. Add capers, olives, and vinegar. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. (Stefan says: Here’s what mine looked like after 20 minutes.)

    8. Salt and pepper to taste. And serve! Goes well over pasta. In the photo at the top of the page, this caponata is pictured over a bed of pasta, topped with some fake chicken.

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