Caponata

A recipe that I turn to very often as it offers a super quick and super tasty dinner solution. The key flavour note here comes from the capers - it is my absolute number one ingredient to turn to when I am cooking (well, obviously it needs to make sense for the dish you are making). So unless I am cooking something Asian or Middle Eastern then I probably shy away from capers, other than that, yes please!

You can use this lovely caponata as a pasta sauce, but also with polenta, bean mash, on top of a toast with some feta or goats cheese, a side to a frittata or a spanish omelette … the list goes on!

Watch the cooking video on my IGTV

Ingredients

1 red pepper
1 red onion
2 stalks of celery
2 tbsp of capers
1 carrot
1 aubergine
2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp of Italian mixed dry herbs
splash of white wine
2 tbsp of tomato puree
100ml boiling water
2 tsp of dark sugar or a squeeze of honey
small handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 lemon juice and zest

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Finely dice all the vegetables and mince the garlic cloves.

Heat up some olive oil in a large frying pan or a casserole and fry all the vegetable for 10-15 minutes with two pinches of salt, capers, Italian herbs and 1/2 lemon zest.

Once they start catching a little, add a splash of white wine & lemon juice and let them cook for another 2-3mins uncovered.

Then mix the tomato paste with water and sugar or honey, and add to the casserole.
Cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Stir in the parsley.

Adjust seasoning adding more salt, sugar and black pepper if necessary.

When ready to serve dress with a drizzle of good olive oil, zest of 1/2 lemon and a good grind of black pepper.

Serve with spaghetti, bean mash, cheesy polenta or on top of a toast!

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