Recipe: caponata served in aubergine with stracciatella
Caponata is one of the most beloved and best-known recipes from Sicily. The star of this dish is the aubergine, combined with celery, bell pepper, onions and tomatoes, and seasoned further with capers and pine nuts. This recipe by Pien is anything but traditional, because she serves the caponata in an aubergine (you can never have too much aubergine!) and with stracciatella, because she believes that the creamy flavour of the cheese pairs so well with the caponata’s characteristic sweet-and-sour flavour.
How to make Pien’s caponata
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Cut 1 aubergine into small cubes. Halve the 2 other aubergines lengthwise. First spread the small aubergine cubes over a baking tray. Add extra virgin olive oil, pepper and salt. Place in the oven and roast the cubes for 30 minutes.
- Mix the tomato purée with the vinegar and sugar. Dice the shallots, celery and bell pepper. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden brown.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery. Add some pepper, salt and chilli flakes and fry for 5–7 minutes.
- Add the tomato purée and stir well to combine.
- Remove the aubergine cubes from the oven and add them to the pan. Do not turn off the oven: now place the 4 aubergine halves on the baking tray. Score the cut side of the halves crosswise, drizzle with olive oil, pepper and salt, and return them to the oven for another 30 minutes.
- Stir the aubergine cubes thoroughly through the vegetable mixture. Then add the capers, tomato pulp and toasted pine nuts. Simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. Then turn off the heat and allow the caponata to cool slightly.
- Remove the aubergine halves from the oven. Fill them with the caponata. Top with the stracciatella, a splash of extra virgin olive oil and a few basil leaves.
Title: Pien laat haar eten zien vol. 2
Author: Pien Wekking
Price: €26.99
Publisher: Spectrum
Following the success of her first cookbook, Pien now showcases even more food. Surprise your guests by serving prawns and squid in a spicy sauce, followed by sea bass with caper butter. Or complete the feast with an espresso crème brûlée.
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