Sicilian Caponata with Mozzarella Bruschetta

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Author: OcadoLife

Prep time: 45 mins

Cook time:

Serves: 4

Caponata is a Sicilian dish that stars aubergine and other veggies that are popular in the Mediterranean. It's a versatile dish that can be eaten warm or cold, as an antipasto or a side. Here, we’re serving it with some creamy buffalo mozzarella and garlic sourdough toast. We’re big fans of having toast for dinner, but it would make a good lunch too.

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

100ml olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 aubergines, cut into 3.5cm cubes
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 celery stalks, sliced
50g pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, 2 chopped, 1 whole
1 400g tin plum tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
2 tbsp capers
50g pitted green olives
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar
6 basil leaves, plus extra to serve
4 slices sourdough bread
2 buffalo mozzarella

Method

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Fry the aubergine in batches, for 5-6 mins until tender. Set aside in a colander to drain until needed.

Step 2

Discard almost all of the oil from the frying pan, leaving about 1tbsp. Add the onion, celery and pine nuts to the pan and fry in the reserved oil for 10 mins over a low heat, until the vegetables are softened and lightly golden. Return the aubergine to the pan and stir in the 2 chopped garlic cloves, plum tomatoes, capers, olives, red wine vinegar and sugar. Season with salt and black pepper.

Step 3

Increase the heat and, once the mixture starts to simmer, cook for 5 mins. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil leaves, then leave to cool until just warm.

Step 4

Just before you’re ready to eat, toast or grill the bread for the bruschetta on both sides until crisp and lightly charred around the edges. Rub one side of each slice with the remaining garlic clove then lay the bread, garlic-side up, on a platter. Top with the mozzarella, then drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper and scatter with basil. Serve the caponata alongside or heap it on top.