Best Caponata Sauce Recipes

CAPONATA SAUCE

Caponata Sauce image

A beautiful and fragrant recipe that you can use either over pasta or for spreading on French or Italian bread croutes...you can even stuff cherry tomatoes with it. This is a real winner among friends and family!

Provided by Traveling_Is_Love

Categories Appetizers and Snacks

Time 1h22m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
salt as needed
extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 ½ cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons chopped anchovies
1 pinch dried basil
1 pinch dried oregano
¼ cup chopped green olives
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
½ cup toasted pine nuts
4 leaves lettuce
1 cup 1/2-inch thick French bread toasts
4 tomato wedges

Steps:

Place eggplant in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt; allow to sit and drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze eggplant to release more water.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; saute eggplant until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a bowl, reserving any oil in the skillet.
Cook and stir onion, celery, and green bell pepper in the same skillet, adding more oil as needed, until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Mix eggplant, tomatoes, anchovies, basil, and oregano into onion mixture; saute over high heat until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cool mixture to room temperature, at least 15 minutes.
Mix olives and capers into eggplant mixture and dress with red wine vinegar and more olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Add pine nuts.
Line a plate with lettuce leaves. Spoon eggplant mixture onto toasts and arrange on lettuce. Garnish with tomato wedges.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 93.5 calories, Carbohydrate 8.7 g, Cholesterol 0.5 mg, Fat 5.9 g, Fiber 2.8 g, Protein 2.9 g, SaturatedFat 0.9 g, Sodium 197.9 mg, Sugar 3 g

10-MINUTE PENNE WITH CAPONATA SAUCE

10-Minute Penne with Caponata Sauce image

Provided by Jean Anderson

Categories Dairy Pasta Pepper Vegetable Vegetarian Quick & Easy Dinner Lunch Parmesan Eggplant Summer Noodle Sugar Conscious Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (the fruitiest you can find)
2 medium-size scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (include some green tops)
1 1/2 cups frozen bell pepper stir-fry mix (red, green and yellow peppers; do not thaw)
Two 7 3/4-ounce cans caponata, with their liquid
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound penne or fusilli, cooked al dente by package directions and drained
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

1. Heat oil in large, heavy skillet over moderately high heat for 2 minutes. Add scallions, stir-fry mix, and garlic; reduce heat to moderate and cook, stirring, until scallions are limp and excess pepper juices evaporate, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add caponata and broth and simmer uncovered, stirring often, just until flavors mingle, about 5 minutes.
3. Mix in basil, parsley, and salt and papper to taste. Add penne and toss lightly to coat with sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, and serve with additional grated Parmesan.
Variation:
Penne with Salsa and Cilantro
Prepare as directed, substituting 2 cups milk, medium or hot salsa for caponata, beef broth for chicken, and coarsely chopped cilantro for basil, and toss in 1/3 cup crisp bacon crumbles along with pasta.
Tips:
Cook the penne while the sauce simmers. To save on dish-washing, use a skillet that's pretty enough to go to the table.