Caponata is a sweet and sour Sicilian dish of fried aubergine with celery, olives, capers and tomato sauce, served as an antipasto or side dish.

The origin of the name is uncertain. Italian Wikipedia gives several theories: the sailors' cappone di galera, the cauponae or sailors' taverns, the capponata stuffing used for capons and pheasants in 19th century Sicily, and the capone, a fish served at aristocratic tables with a sweet and sour sauce that poorer cooks replaced with cheap aubergines. By the 18th century it was a single dish eaten with bread. English Wikipedia ties caponata historically to Sicily's Jewish community, and notes that one Palermo version adds octopus.

Where to eat Caponata in Palermo

3 editor picks for Caponata in Palermo, ranked by editorial score. All Palermo signature dishes · Caponata across every city.

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Sicilian Cooking Class

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Make it at home

Serves 62 hrEasy

Ingredients

  • 800g aubergines, cut into 2cm cubes
  • 4 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 400g cluster tomatoes, chopped
  • 100g green olives, pitted
  • 50g salted capers, rinsed
  • 50g pine nuts, toasted
  • 30g sultanas, soaked
  • 40g sugar
  • 80ml white wine vinegar
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt

Method

  1. Salt the aubergine cubes in a colander for 30 minutes to draw out water. Pat dry.
  2. Heat olive oil in a wide pan and fry the aubergine in batches until deep golden. Lift out and drain.
  3. In the same pan, soften the onion and celery for 8 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook 10 minutes until thick.
  4. Add olives, capers, drained sultanas and pine nuts. Stir in sugar and vinegar.
  5. Return the fried aubergine. Simmer 15 minutes until the agrodolce balance comes together.
  6. Cool to room temperature before serving. Caponata tastes better the next day.

Editor tip. Frying the aubergine in batches and draining before combining is the structural rule; if you skip this you get a watery stew, not caponata.

Common allergens: Celery.