If after our post 'Tis The Season to Make Caponata you made a batch, here are some ideas on how you can turn this pantry item into a meal, a course in a menu, or a snack.
Caponata makes a wonderful opening bite served on bruschetta. Pack it in a mason jar
One more choice you have when making this dish is how fine or coarse you chop the ingredients and how long you cook them. Finely cut it can be added to a sandwich as a relish. A chunkier version makes a great side dish. You can also chop the finished product for a specific dish if you want smaller bits.
You can turn caponata into a meal by topping a serving with eggs. You can stuff an omelet, place a poached egg on a bed of caponata, or serve it on toast with hard boiled egg slices.
In the photo above, I cooked up rice and ground turkey then mixed in a good helping of finely chopped caponata as the seasoning for a mixture. I stuffed this into small yummy peppers and baked. They were little bites that we enjoyed for dinner, but they would also be great appetizers.
It can turn a starch base like pasta, rice, or a potato into a meal by mixing it in or topping it with the relish. Top with parmesan or romano cheese, shaved with your trusty vegetable peeler
More Riffs on the Caponata Theme
For a great entrée, try mixing it with a good canned tuna in olive oil, or serving on top of a piece of grilled meat or fish.
Caponata gets along well with cheese, so consider a grilled cheese sandwich with the caponata in the sandwich or beside it. You can also add it to a cheese plate.
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino (Adapted for BostonZest from one of her Fresh & Local newspaper columns.)
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino