Recipe: Eggplant Caponata Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Basil Recipes from The Kitchn

This is one of those versatile recipes that can serve more than one purpose — dip, sandwich filling, pasta sauce — and it makes use of all those beautiful eggplants that are in season...

Credit goes to my dad for creating this caponata, which he calls "the eggplant dip," although we've tweaked and fiddled with it over time. It's a traditional, stewy mix of eggplant, pepper, onions, and tomato with some salty olives and a dash of vinegar. At times I even throw in some summer squash that needs to be used.

This isn't a particularly quick dish, but the time involved is mostly hands-off once you finish chopping all of the ingredients. Then it just needs to simmer until everything is soft and the flavors are well-mingled.

P.S. You might want to have some napkins handy.

Tester's Notes
This oldie-but-goodie recipe from Elizabeth is just marvelous! It's easy and hands-off to make, and it just gets better in the fridge. Like she says, you can eat it on sandwiches, over pasta, or over rice.

A couple notes: I left the eggplant skin on and didn't mind it a bit. Also, if you want soft, falling-apart (as opposed to meaty) eggplant, cut the chunks a little smaller and simmer for at least 40 minutes.

- Faith

Eggplant Caponata Sandwiches

makes 5 cups of caponata, enough for about 10 sandwiches

1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into small cubes, about 4 cups total
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
4 ounces white mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Baguette or ciabatta bread, to serve
Fresh mozzarella, about 2 thick slices per sandwich, to serve
Fresh basil leaves, optional, to serve

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or wide, deep sauté pan and add eggplant, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft.

Add the olives, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, and oregano. Season again with salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir a few times during cooking, and add a tablespoon or two of water (or olive brine) if the mixture is too thick and sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Allow caponata to cool. Spoon on bread, top with mozzarella and basil, and serve. Or, serve warm as a dip.

Originally published July 29, 2008.

(Images: Faith Durand)

Comments (9)

i adore caponata but have never made it myself. i cant wait to try this one out. thanks AT!

I made this for a cookout this weekend. It was very tasty. Very dense, almost too dense. My brother called it surprisingly beefy. I might add a can of diced tomatoes next time to thin it out a little.

I always prepare this recipe and serve it on toasted slices of ciabatta.

I want to add a small tip for the preparation of the egg-plant: it's always better to sprinkle some salt on the eggplant prior to cooking. We season the eggplants with salt and set it aside in a strainer for some time (at least 15 minutes) until we see brown transparent liquid draining away from the eggplant. This brown liquid is behind the bitterness in eggplant.

This would make incredible calzone filling!

Chopped celery is necessary, not too well cooked. It gives a little crunch to the caponata.

Oh my goodness. I think I had this at a relative's house once and never knew what it actually was, but I remember it being amazing and rich and wonderful. So, so making this next week. Thank you!

This was great! Thanks for the tips about salting/straining the eggplant, and the celery-both made this dish a hit!

Do you think you could freeze this?

Cooked this day before yesterday and topped with fresh grated Parmesan! Oh sweet goodness! Had family over who said they "hated" eggplant! Guess who ate most of it up? The eggplant haters!