Caponata

An easy to prepare Italian dish that is great to share when family & friends pop in. Any leftovers are the makings of a great pasta sauce.

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Course: Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1

Servings:

Calories: 200kcal

Author: Nellie Kerrison | Relish Mama

Cost: $15

80 ml olive oil
350 g pumpkin butternut; peeled and cut into large dice
Sea salt
1 red onion halved and each half sliced thinly
3 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed with a garlic crusher or finely chopped
2 capsicum can be assorted, seeds and membrane removed and cut into medium-large dice
1 bay leaf
400 g whole tinned tomatoes 1 tin
A small handful of green or black olives pitted
2 tablespoons of currants
1.5 tablespoons of white sugar
60 ml of great quality balsamic vinegar
Basil leaves or alternatively fresh oregano leaves when basil is not in season

Preheat oven to 200oC fan forced.
Place the diced pumpkin on a lined baking tray and coat in half of the oil. Sprinkle on sea salt. Bake for 30 minutes or until softened and cooked through.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the onion until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, stirring constantly to avoid the garlic burning. Add the capsicums and bay leaf and cook for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes.
Before adding the tomatoes, blitz them briefly in a mini food processor or get clean kitchen scissors to roughly dice these (they have a better fuller flavour than buying diced tomatoes). Add the tomatoes, olives, currants, sugar, vinegar. Add approximately 100 ml of water, if required.
After 15 minutes of cooking, add the baked pumpkin.
Cook for a further 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and if it needs adjusting. Turn off heat and top with basil leaves or oregano.

This recipe is from my Rustic Italian cooking class. Next class is in December 2024 after I return from Italy. You can sign up here.