Caponata with Bramley Apples Recipe
This Caponata with Bramley Apples is a quintessentially Sicilian veggie dish of aubergines, tomatoes, raisins, capers and pine nuts, served on toasted ciabatta or bruschetta.
15 Mins 30 Mins Easy
Image: British Apples & Pears
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 2 large aubergines, cut into 3 centimetre pieces
- 3 large onions, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 7 sticks celery, chopped
- 2 red peppers, roasted, peeled and chopped
- 1 Bramley apple, finely sliced
- A handful of toasted pine nuts
- 1 tbsp capers
- 10 basil leaves
- Small handful of mint, chopped
- Small handful of parsley, chopped
Method
- Pour enough olive oil to cover the base of a 30cm frying pan and fry the aubergine until golden brown.
- Remove the aubergine from the pan, and set aside.
- In the same pan, gently cook the onion and garlic until softened.
- Remove the onion and garlic and add to the cooked aubergine.
- Wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper.
- Add a little olive oil to the pan and flash fry the celery (it should have a bit of bite), and then add to the aubergine and onion mixture.
- Add the remaining ingredients – apart from the herbs – and mix well.
- Fold through the herbs.
Recipe notes
Caponata is a Sicilian dish consisting of chopped fried aubergine and other vegetables seasoned with olive oil, tomato sauce, and celery augmented with tangy olives and capers.
Numerous local variants exist by adding carrots, bell peppers, potatoes, pine nuts, and/or raisins – after all, “there are as many recipes as there are cooks in Sicily”.
Serve the caponata at room temperature on toasted ciabatta or sourdough bruschetta with anchovies or Parmesan.
