Caponata with Chickpeas & Apricots

Caponata is a gorgeous Sicilian sweet and sour dish with aubergine at its heart. I’ve included courgettes as well here, but you can use just aubergines if you prefer. I like the chunkiness the dried apricots lend, but feel free to introduce other dried fruits if you like. The chickpeas are not authentic, but they go very well with the flavours and textures, and make for a more substantial dish. Caponata is classically served at room temperature and it keeps in the fridge for a few days, so it’s a good one to make in advance. Please note - most of the prep time is hands off for salting the aubergines

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Ingredients

aubergine 500 g (cubed)
courgette 2 (cubed)
onion 1 (sliced)
celery 2 (sliced)
garlic cloves 2
dried apricots 70 g (chopped)
green olives 60 g (torn)
chopped tomatoes 400 g
chickpeas 400 g (drained)
balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp
capers 2 tbsp
pine nuts 50 g (toasted)
fresh basil 1 handful (leaves picked)
lemon 1 (juice)

Method

Prep the aubergine & courgettes

Cut the aubergines into 2–3cm cubes, tip into a colander and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Toss well and then leave to draw out the juices for about an hour.
Cut the courgettes into similar-sized cubes; set aside.

Cook the sauce

Thinly slice the onion and celery and chop the garlic cloves. Roughly chop the dried apricots, tear the green olives.
About halfway through the aubergine salting time, heat a glug of oil in a large saucepan over a fairly low heat.
Add the onion and celery and fry for about 10 minutes until tender and golden.
Toss in the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes until fragrant.
Tip in the chopped tomatoes. Simmer for 10–15 minutes to reduce a little.
Add the chickpeas, balsamic vinegar, dried apricots, capers and green olives and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat.

Fry the aubergine & courgettes

Rinse the aubergines and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Heat a little more oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the aubergineand fry for about 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper, then tip into the tomato mixture.
Add a little more oil to the pan and fry the courgettes in the same way, then drain and add to the aubergine and tomato mixture.

Finish & plate up

Bring back to a simmer and cook for another 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is well combined, reduced and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Leave the caponata to cool to room temperature if you have time, or serve it hot if you prefer. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts(you could also use toasted pumpkin seeds), fresh basil, a squeeze of lemon juice and a trickle of extra virgin olive oil to finish.

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