Caponata Pasta

I remember the first time I tried caponata, I was at a summer family party filled with all of my mom’s Italian relatives. My great aunt had made her famous caponata recipe and I did not hesitate to indulge in a huge helping. It magically contained all of my favorite Italian ingredients—capers, olives, vinegar, eggplant—and I could eat it by the spoonful.

Now, I’ve learned that caponata is a traditional Sicilian appetizer with plenty of variations and influences. It has a rich history and, like many pervasive Italian recipes, originated as food for the poor. Eggplant, being one of the most accessible ingredients, replaced the more expensive meat and fish from other versions. The sweet and sour sauce (known in Italian as agrodolce), was a simple way to flavor even the most bland vegetables.

It may have been food for the poor, but the flavor of caponata is rich. To me, it’s a delicate balance of all the best elements of Italian cuisine. I love the appetizer version, served cold or at room temperature and typically spread on bread or crackers, but sometimes I just need more. 

I wanted caponata to be the main character and the main meal. So, in classic Italian fashion, I turned it into pasta.

The Trick to Flavorful Caponata Pasta

When you make caponata, it sits in the refrigerator overnight so that the flavors meld, and it’s even better on the second or third day. I wanted to make sure my pasta version still achieved the deep, cohesive flavor of the traditional version. 

Roasting all of the vegetables together in an olive oil, vinegar, honey, and tomato paste mixture results in the same rich flavor profile. The recipe becomes really hands-off once you put the sheet pan in the oven, and your kitchen will start to smell like a Sicilian villa.

Variations on Caponata Pasta

Everyone and their Italian grandmother has their own way of making caponata and they are all correct. So feel free to play around with the ingredients for this pasta. 

I love the sharp and sweet flavor of red onion, but you could easily substitute white or yellow. Red wine vinegar can replace the traditional white wine vinegar. You can also use any fresh Italian herb like parsley or oregano in place of basil.

Quick Tips

• Evenly chop your vegetables: The eggplant, red onion, and red bell pepper are chopped small to ensure they cook evenly in the oven and have the most surface area to absorb flavor.
• Don’t oversalt: Olives and capers add a briny saltiness to the dish, so go light on the salt to start and then adjust.
• Don’t rinse your pasta: The natural starches from the pasta help the noodles cling to the sauce, and rinsing it removes them. 

Sicilian-Inspired Specialties

• Sicilian Skillet Chicken With Lemon, Olives, and Capers
• Sauteed Greens With Pine Nuts and Raisins
• Pesto alla Trapanese
• Classic Muffuletta