Caponata is heard for the first time in 1700 in Sicily, and then the recipe quickly win the whole Mediterranean. There are even more than 30 versions!
Originally a single dish served with bread, now we can find it on the menus of many
restaurants as an appetizer or side dish.
The name comes from “capone”, which in some villages identifies the Dolphinfish, a prized fish that was often present on the rich tables of nobles and was served with a sweet and sour sauce. The poor people began to imitate the recipe, but couldn’t afford the fish, so they replaced it with eggplant, thus creating the vegetarian version of the dish.
To prepare the eggplant caponata in the simplest version we must fry the eggplant cut into small cubes, combine them with onion, olives and capers and complete with plenty of tomato sauce with vinegar and sugar.

Thanks to Scented Little Pleasures

Photo by: Un tavolo per quattro