Slow Cooker Caponata
Slow Cooker Caponata is a rich Sicilian vegetable dish made with tender eggplant, tomatoes, olives, capers, basil, and a balanced sweet-and-sour sauce.
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Knife
- slow cooker
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants diced
- 400 g canned diced tomatoes
- 80 g green olives sliced
- 35 g capers drained
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 20 fresh basil leaves chopped
Instructions
- Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and minced garlic.
- Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened.
- Add the diced eggplant.
- Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until lightly browned.
- Transfer the eggplant mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add the diced tomatoes, green olives, capers, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Stir until evenly combined.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, stirring once or twice if possible.
- Stir in the chopped basil immediately before serving.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serving Suggestions
Serve the caponata with crusty bread, grilled polenta, pasta, or toasted crostini. It also works well as a topping for grilled meat, fish, baked potatoes, or sandwiches.Recipe Notes
Cut the eggplant into evenly sized pieces so it cooks consistently. Browning the eggplant before transferring it to the slow cooker develops more flavour and prevents the finished dish from tasting watery. Capers and olives are naturally salty, so taste before adding extra salt.Variations
Add diced celery, bell pepper, raisins, or toasted pine nuts for extra texture. Replace the granulated sugar with maple syrup or another suitable sweetener. Increase the red pepper flakes when a spicier caponata is preferred.Storage
Store the cooled caponata in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Its flavour often improves overnight. Serve it cold, at room temperature, or gently reheated. It can also be frozen for up to two months.Wine Advice
A medium-bodied Chianti complements the tomato, eggplant, and olives. A dry Pinot Grigio is a lighter alternative that works well when the caponata is served as an appetiser.Nutrition values
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 120 kcal | koolhydraten: 14 g | Eiwitten: 2 g | Vet: 7 g | Verzadigd vet: 1 g | Natrium: 382 mg | Suiker: 7 g