This Mary Berry Caponata Recipe is a sweet and sour recipe, which is made with aubergine and green olives. It’s the perfect side dish or appetizer, ready in about 35 minutes.

Mary Berry Caponata Recipe Ingredients

about 4 tbsp olive oil
1 large aubergine, cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) chunks
1/2 head celery, diced
2 onions, thinly sliced
125 g (4 oz) tomato purée
60 g (2 oz) sugar
125–175 ml (4–6 fl oz) red wine vinegar
125 g (4 oz) pitted green olives
30 g (1 oz) capers (optional)
1–2 garlic cloves, crushed
30 g (1 oz) parsley, chopped
salt and black pepper

How To Make Mary Berry Caponata

Cook the aubergine: Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the aubergine chunks and cook gently, stirring, for about 8 minutes or until tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove the aubergine from the pan and set aside.
Cook the celery: Heat the remaining oil in the same pan. Add the diced celery and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes or until it has browned slightly.
Simmer the caponata: Return the cooked aubergine to the pan along with the onions, tomato purée, sugar, and vinegar. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes to reduce the harshness of the vinegar and allow the flavours to meld. Add a little water if the mixture becomes too thick and starts to stick.
Finish and serve: Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the green olives, capers (if using), crushed garlic, and half of the chopped parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and leave to cool. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley before serving.

Recipe Tips

How to prevent the aubergine from absorbing too much oil? Aubergine acts like a sponge. You can salt the aubergine chunks and leave them in a colander for 30 minutes before cooking. This draws out excess moisture and helps it absorb less oil.
Can I use a different vinegar? Red wine vinegar is traditional, but apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar would also work. Adjust the amount to your taste.
What are capers? Capers are the pickled flower buds of a Mediterranean shrub. They have a salty, briny, and slightly tangy flavour that adds a wonderful punch to dishes like caponata.
Can I serve this dish warm? While traditionally served at room temperature or chilled, caponata is also delicious served warm as a side dish.

What To Serve With Caponata

This versatile Sicilian dish is wonderful served in many ways.

As a side dish for grilled fish or chicken.
Piled on top of toasted crusty bread as a bruschetta topping.
As part of an antipasto platter with cured meats and cheeses.

How To Store Caponata

Refrigerate: Store the cooled caponata in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavour actually improves as it sits.
Freezing: It is not recommended to freeze caponata, as the texture of the aubergine can become mushy upon thawing.

FAQs

What is caponata? Caponata is a classic Sicilian dish made with aubergine (eggplant) and other vegetables, cooked in a sweet and sour (agrodolce) sauce.
Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, caponata is an ideal make-ahead dish. The flavours meld and become even more delicious after a day or two in the refrigerator.
Is this recipe vegan? Yes, this recipe is naturally vegan.

Try More Recipes:

Mary Berry’s Caponata Recipe

Course: AppetizersCuisine: British

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

297

kcal

A classic Sicilian sweet and sour aubergine dish, perfect as a side, appetizer, or topping for bruschetta.

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil
1 large aubergine, chunked
1/2 head celery, diced
2 onions, sliced
125 g (4 oz) tomato purée
60 g (2 oz) sugar
125–175 ml (4–6 fl oz) red wine vinegar
125 g (4 oz) pitted green olives
30 g (1 oz) capers (optional)
1–2 garlic cloves, crushed
30 g (1 oz) parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper

Directions

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan. Cook aubergine for 8 minutes until tender. Remove from pan.
Heat remaining oil. Cook celery for 7 minutes until browned.
Return aubergine to the pan with onions, tomato purée, sugar, and vinegar. Cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in olives, capers, garlic, and half the parsley. Season to taste.
Let it cool, then sprinkle with remaining parsley before serving.