Name: Caponata herb crumble
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 100 g butter; 100 g flour; 80 g parmesan cheese; 1 tsp curry powder; salt; 150 g celery; 300 g aubergine; 1 yellow pepper; 1 red pepper; 1 spring onion; basil; 400 g Mutti Peeled Tomatoes; extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients

4 people

For the crumble:
100 g butter
100 g flour
80 g parmesan cheese
1 tsp curry powder
salt
For the vegetable caponata:
150 g celery
300 g aubergine
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 spring onion
basil
400 g Mutti Peeled Tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil

Made with

Whole Peeled Tomatoes

Discover more

Method

1

Knead the crumble ingredients together with your fingertips, cover and leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hour (or overnight).
2

Cut the aubergine and peppers into regular cubes, keeping the vegetables separate.
3

Fry the peppers and aubergines separately in a pan with seed oil until they start to wilt.
4

In a frying pan, sauté the sliced spring onion, add the diced celery, a few tablespoons of water and a few chopped basil leaves.
5

Leave to cook for 5 minutes.
6

Add all the vegetables and the chopped peeled tomatoes.
7

Cook for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.
8

Spread the caponata in a baking dish and sprinkle with the crumble, breaking it up with your hands.
9

Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes.
10

For a vegan version: Blend 50 g of bread with a handful of mixed herbs (basil, parsley, thyme and marjoram), add 30 g of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and blend for a few more seconds. Dice a further 150 g of bread, mix with the herb mixture and allow it to absorb the flavour. Sprinkle the vegetables with the herb bread and bake.

A creative twist on Sicilian caponata

This caponata herb crumble gives a creative baked twist to Sicilian caponata, the traditional aubergine-based dish. Aubergine, peppers, celery and spring onion are cooked with Mutti Peeled Tomatoes and fresh basil, creating a rich vegetable filling. A fragrant herb crumble adds a crisp contrast to the tender vegetables, turning classic Mediterranean ingredients into a satisfying baked caponata that’s full of different textures and aromas.

Tips for a perfectly crunchy caponata crumble

For the best aubergine and pepper caponata, cook the aubergine and peppers separately before combining them with the other vegetables. This helps each ingredient retain its own texture and flavor. Letting the crumble mixture rest in the fridge makes it easier to break into pieces before baking and creates a delicious crunchy topping. For a vegan caponata crumble, replace the traditional crumble with bread flavored with basil, parsley, thyme, marjoram and extra virgin olive oil, then bake until crisp and golden.