The sweet and sour eggplants are a simple and tasty appetizer or side dish, perfect for enjoying in the summer but also at the start of autumn. Their preparation does not require frying, but rather a delicate pan cooking that preserves the natural sweetness of the eggplants, creating a harmonious balance with the more pronounced flavor of vinegar. Ready in about 20 minutes, this eggplant caponatina will win you over with a burst of Mediterranean flavors.
The combination of eggplants, onion, mint, and basil gives this dish a complexity of aromas that pair perfectly with white or red meat and even fish. Like the Sicilian caponata and zucchini caponata, sweet and sour eggplants can be enjoyed cold and are ideal for a summer dinner, a garden lunch, or even as a snack to accompany an aperitif. In this article, I will guide you step by step in preparing the eggplant caponata, revealing all the secrets to creating a dish that will amaze your guests and satisfy your palate. Ready to discover the world of flavor of sweet and sour eggplants?
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer and Autumn
- Energy 170.45 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 17.65 (g) of which sugars 12.51 (g)
- Proteins 2.13 (g)
- Fat 11.58 (g) of which saturated 1.67 (g)of which unsaturated 0.19 (g)
- Fibers 6.08 (g)
- Sodium 101.31 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 95 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Eggplants
- 1.75 lbs eggplants
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 onion (small)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsps apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste pepper
- A few leaves mint
- A few leaves basil
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pan non-stick with a diameter of about 10 inches
- 1 Spoon
How to Prepare Sweet and Sour Eggplants
To prepare the sweet and sour eggplants, start by washing and drying the eggplants. Remove the stalk, then cut them into fairly thick slices (1). Then cut each slice into sticks about 1/2 inch wide (2).
It is important not to cut the eggplants too thin, or they will fall apart during cooking. Instead, slice the onion thinly (3).
Pour the oil into a large non-stick pan and heat it very well (4), then add the eggplants (5), salt them, and sauté them over high heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
At this stage, you will notice that they absorb almost all the oil (6), but do not add more as they will release it again later. To prevent them from burning, stir often
After 8-10 minutes, the eggplants will begin to soften (7); add the onion (8), mix well and lower the heat to cook gently. Also add a pinch of pepper and a few mint leaves (9).
Cook for about 5 more minutes until the onion is soft. At this point, add the sugar (10), mix well, and turn the heat up to high. Immediately add the vinegar (11), mix and let it cook for a few more seconds on high heat.
When the strong smell of vinegar is no longer present, turn off the heat (12) and add the torn basil. Mix carefully and let it cool completely.
Serve the sweet and sour eggplants at room temperature, as an appetizer or as a side dish. They are also excellent for topping delicious bruschette!
Storage
You can store sweet and sour eggplants in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 4-5 days.
Tips and Variations
If you prefer, instead of onion, you can use a small clove of garlic, with the center removed and finely chopped. In addition to or as a substitute for mint and basil, you can use parsley, oregano, or marjoram.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What can I substitute for the sugar?
Sugar is used to give the right “sweet” component to the eggplant caponata. If other vegetables – peppers, red onions… – are naturally sweet, eggplant certainly is less so; if you do not want to use sugar, you can add a couple of tablespoons of raisins previously soaked in hot water.
