Get our best recipes delivered to your inbox. Leave out peppers and much is well. You can store caponata in the fridge in a tightly-closed mason jar for 5 days or so, or freeze it for later use. It's just achieving I forgot to add: I Super disappointing! Make our Sicilian-inspired caponata recipes for a veg-packed feast. great reading other Roasted Eggplant Caponata Recipe | Ina Garten | Food Network Also, I find that this years toms are very expensive I still buy them though, cant live without. Heat a large cast iron frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil; add the celery, sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring often until just tender but still a beautiful bright green. Most people do ratatouille wrong. This is great. Definitely will make again! is a wonderful Thank you, David for another wonderful recipe and article. Caponata 16 ratings Add eggplant in batches and stir occasionally until golden all over (6-7 minutes), then transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Looks great, complimenti! Toss the eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in a colander. Love your recipes and I find you quite funny too! 2023 Cond Nast. Heres the kicker in this recipe. One-Pot Eggplant Caponata Pasta | Kitchn towards the end of Some describe caponata as the Sicilian version of ratatouille. Easy Caponata Recipe, Sicilian-Style | The Mediterranean Dish Thats not how I make Caponata but hey, thats life. Roast the eggplant, allow to cool and chop coarsely. I learned to make ratatouille when I was living in France after college. Makes 1 cups. . Yum, yum. Enzo; may I ask about the almonds. (I also created another 5 salads). JOIN MY FREE E-MAIL LISTHERE. Since, Ive never tasted or made anything that comes close it, sadly! Sign up for my newsletter and get my FREE guidebook to the best bakeries and pastry shops in Paris Sweet Lemon (bergamot or Meyer lemon) Marmalade, (tough outer strings removed if necessary), pitted and very coarsely chopped (about in thirds). I didn't want to go to the store or spend a a lot of time making dinner. Absolutely delicious! The version in Mastering the Art of French Cooking has you fry courgettes and aubergines separately, then cook onions, peppers, and tomatoes before putting everything together for a brief simmer similar to your caponata. Caponata Recipe - How To Make Caponata - Delish Since the eggplant is fully cooked, simply stir it in with the rest of the ingredients and allow it to cook for 2 to 3 minutes or so together, then finish with fresh parsley and mint. hmm I have lived in Belgium for nearly 12 years (as of tomorrow) and have often seen people eat celery (and grow it too) and only seen traditional ratatouille (I have seen individuals eat canned ratatouille straight out of a can though eeew) maybe there are regional differences in play? for almost anything with tomatoes: lasagna, panzanella, you name it. Wondrous with grilled sourdough! I also make my own tomato sauce and am about to start as tomatoes get really cheap now in the south of France. This was highly acidic and just not nice. Simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. If possible, cover and chill overnight. Turn the heat right down, cover and. I am such an eggplant fan! Thank you for sharing your taste adventures, after reading your experience I feel as though Ive been on a taste adventure too. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Stir in vinegar, sugar, and cup water. I used to feel the same way about ratatouille, then I made Julia Childs. Full of eggplants and Sicilian recipes: the ones my grandmother tough my mom to feed her only figlio maschio/son. One addition to caponata that Ive seen are raisins, which are used in Sicilian savory cooking. But, to me, ratatouille is more of a saucy stew, and the veggies will vary depending on what you have on hand. Trim the stems off eggplant and cut into 1-inch (3cm) pieces. I agree wholeheartedly about not salting the aubergines. HI Kiki- if you look on the wikipedia entry you will see one of the varieties which looks like an egg. When they ran out of their own bottled tomatoes,in winter, they just use tinned tomatoes. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. stalks celery, from the inner, tender stalks (the heart), diced, pound ripe tomatoes, preferably romas, peeled, seeded and finely chopped, or 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes (in puree), heaped tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained, tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted green olives, tablespoons red or white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar (more to taste). Repeat with remaining eggplant and oil. Arrange the eggplant on a baking sheet in 1 layer and roast. Looks DELICIOUS and Im looking forward to trying it. Could one substitute peppers (which my husband and I love, especially red ones) for celery, which neither of us will eat when cooked and he wont touch when raw, either? Set aside. So its nice that she doesnt include them. When I took a bitebefore serving it, it had magically transformed into the most wonderful eggplant salad I could imagine. And I speak from experience because when I first tasted it, I thought, This doesnt quite taste like the caponata I had in Sicily. ThenI put it in the refrigerator to serve the next day. In this version, the onions and celery are caramelized for incredible depth of flavorwhich improves over time. A blog, a newsletter, and a book series for lovers of all things Italy! Caponata recipe - David Lebovitz The main ingredients are aubergine, bell peppers, celery, onions, tomatoes, raisins and pine nuts. EYB; Home. This caponata can be served warm or at room temperature. David, wouldnt it work if I just toss the eggplant pieces in olive oil, spread it in a large pan and roast them? Add one-third of the eggplant and cook until golden brown, 78 minutes. Excellent. Season with salt, then fry the rest of the eggplant in batches, seasoning them with salt as you remove them from the oil. Full of eggplants and Sicilian recipes: the ones my grandmother tough my mom to feed her onlyfiglio maschio/son. canned tomatoes. Unfortunately I am now allergic to eggplant, but I grew up eating them as my dad was Neapolitan & I also lived in Sicily as an adult for 3+years. Leave out the bell pepper and white wine, and swap the red wine vinegar for balsamic to hopefully even up the flavour. The entire bowl disappeared in about 30 minutes. A great alternative to frying eggplant for the caponata is to grill them in the over. Eggplant Caponata A spiky, sweet-and-sour combination of eggplant, celery, onions, capers, and olives. Would this still be good if I left them out?? Serve immediately with fresh basil or allow to cool and serve as a pasta salad at room temperature. Each veggie keeps its own taste & crunch, but youre in the kitchen all day! saut until eggplant is soft and brown, about 15 minutes. Eggplant nights were my favorite: cheesyparmigiana, stuffed eggplants, orpasta con le melanzane. It may be good , but not ratatouille. So many recipes in there that my grandmother used to make. I can confirm that caponata definitely improves in the following days. Caponata tartlets recipe | Gourmet Traveller From the first bite, I was hooked. This is the only time since all the years I've been enjoying Bon Appetit recipes that I've been so disappointed. Since 1995, Epicurious has been the ultimate food resource for the home cook, with daily kitchen tips, fun cooking videos, and, oh yeah, over 33,000 recipes. Add eggplant and remaining oil to pan, stir to coat. All rights reserved. Remove the eggplant with a slotted spoon, and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. A nice fresh loaf of bread would have been perfect. called for in the Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 450 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with foil and coat with cooking spray. This was delicious as soon as I mixed it all together. Add vinegar, sugar, and tomato paste; cook until thickened, 34 minutes. It was so good that I bookmarked the recipe in her excellent cookbook, Coming Home to Sicily. Roasted Summer Vegetable Caponata The Bojon Gourmet Simple but flavorful, this fluffy rice is the perfect accompaniment to all manner of dishes, from big holiday roasts to simple weeknight proteins. We also sub red peppers for green peppers because the flavor is softer. And, of course I Eggplant is my favorite vegetable, but it can be tricky to cook it: sometimes its bitter, some varieties are very tender and get overcooked easily, etc. I cant wait to try this one my eggplant here in Texas are bursting with beautiful purple treasure. I just picked up a bunch of aubergine today at the market just for this recipe. Drain if necessary. for it to be ready to eat! Required fields are marked *. Caponata | Gourmet Traveller We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Doris Jacobson of Anaheim, California, writes: "I host many family gatherings, and I always get requests for my lemon bars and my caponata appetizer. They all loved it. All recipes in her head of course! May you have a wonderful, quiet vacation! Heat remaining cup oil in cleaned skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry eggplant in 2 batches, turning occasionally with tongs, until tender and browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Remove the eggplants, add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and brown the onion. Thank you. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Yes, I tackled fried chicken in duck fat, but deep-frying at home isnt my thing. Ahh, caponata!!! Season with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. I am going to try it. Remove the almonds from the skillet and set them aside. Wash off the salt, pat dry and set aside. making the first NYT Cooking is a subscription service of The New York Times. I had some (of your hated) peppers, onions, garlic, huge bunches of flat parsley (which I got to know first in Italy), some tiny juicy tomatos and as I always grill them all separately (in olive oil), I was kept quite busy. I cant wait to try. We eat copious amounts as the pan comes out of the oven, so make extra. The levels of sweet and sour in caponata vary from household to household. Season to taste and cool to room temperature. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic. Bruschetta with Caponata Recipe | Epicurious And frying the eggplant in the oil ended up not being nearly as messy as deep-frying and the clean-up took just minutes. Add tomato, sugar and 250ml water and simmer until reduced by half (3-4 minutes). Fried the eggplant in about an inch of olive oil, but with the pan at a low enough heat it really didnt splatter at all (maybe took longer). Gently poached in an aromatic broth, these plump and juicy shrimp balls come together in a snap in the food processor for an easy weeknight meal. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Have a great holiday! Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and they smell fragrant. Peel eggplants, leaving some strips of peel, then cut into 1-inch cubes and spread on half of a kitchen towel. Thank you for your writing and recipes throughout the year this one in particular. salt. I immediately went for a quick additional shopping trip and I came back with no aubergine but young zucchini & fresh mushrooms. Picholines are too tiny to yield much pulp. Place the seasoned eggplant cubes on a sheet pan, add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (about 3 tablespoons or so) and toss to coat. This recipes is an A+! In a large, heavy-duty skillet (I used cast iron) heat 3/4-inch (2cm) of vegetable or olive oil. Once the eggplant is fully roasted, it's added to the pan with the rest of the ingredients which have been braising to create a tasty, sweet and sour base or sauce. wanted before adding buon appetito Kiki, Kiki I use blanched almonds, break them with a mezzaluna or a broad chefs knife. Mom (Sicilian) never made caponata (? This sounds great, cant wait to try it. Reduce heat to medium-low and add remaining oil, onions, and anchovies; cook until soft, 1415 minutes. Ratatouille is from France, and caponata is from Sicily. Everything is slowly stewed and vinegar and sugar are added to give it that classic sweet and sour flavour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. This recipe is an adaptation of one in Cucina del Sole: A Celebration of Southern Italian Cooking by Nancy Harmon Jenkins (Morrow, 2007). I checked out the Salsa Pronto recipe as well. I think ratatouille is traditionally stewed Provenal vegetables, eggplant , tomatoes, pepper, onions, zucchini , herbs, cooked together for a short time to meld the flavours. the cooking time, reviews before Cur et tripes. Pat dry with paper towel). Italians use olive oil not just for frying, but for its flavor, which is an important component of this dish. Using a very generous amount of olive oil I brown the eggplant cubes under the broiler in my biggest lasagna pan, turning them twice. noted, replacing the If going the store-bought route, choosea good-quality tomato sauce, one without a lot of extraneous ingredients. Cook until hot. My father was from Rome and my mum is from Malta but making caponata was as an important ritual as it is making tomato sauce in the idea of Italianism. Add eggplant in batches and stir occasionally until golden all over (6-7 minutes), then transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. All are foodies and 1 was a chef. The suggestions save Great recipe. When you start cooking the vegetables separately you lose the whole point of the dish. when eating it the skins could not be swallowed. Let it sit overnight to marry all the wonderful flavors. About 2 hours, plus soaking of the beans and farro. SO much time. I do prefer to make my own sauce so it doesnt upset my stomach. This tastes nothing like what I had in Sicily. Also, Whole Foods has an amazing olive bar with several varieties of green, but agree, good jarred ones that are already pitted is the way to go. Caponata Recipe - Cookie and Kate Get our favorite recipes, stories, and more delivered to your inbox. To keep the oil light what I usually do is drizzle a little olive oil in the pan, throw the eggplant in to brown it up a bit then lower the heat, put the lid on the pan so it kind of steams the eggplant then I continue with the recipe. Bring it to room temperature before serving. I would agree about the peeling the skin seemed a little tough. Bring to room temperature before serving. I thought I found it with this recipe. Absolute food of the gods and a staple at my house thanks to the year round blessing of good canned or boxed San Marzanos. Super tasty! Step 2 Bring water and farro to a boil in a saucepan. Let us know how it works out if you do. Transfer caponata to serving bowl. I dont know if theyre traditional in caponata either. And its not really a deep-fried recipe, which is another reason to make it : ). Plus roasting is less hands-on, so I can work on the rest of the ingredients while the eggplant is roasting. Makes 3 to 4 cups (antipasto or side dish). It's best served at room temperature topping some crusty bread. I love ratatouille, but I rarely eat it cold. celery with fennel Turn heat down as you go. and used the fig David, tried this and it was delish BUT eggplant skin was Over the top tuff and ruined the dish. Main 1 Cut eggplant into 1.5cm dice, then place in a colander, scatter with sea salt and leave to drain for 30 minutes. Add tomatoes and celery and increase heat to medium; cook until tomatoes release their juices, 56 minutes. Interesting too is that he used to put raisins and pine nuts into his meatballs as well. Go figure. Great make-ahead dish since the flavor really improves after a few hours. Simmer for another 5 minutes then add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. I had never made or had caponata before it was terrific and a big hit with all tried it. Ad Choices, 1 serving contains: Calories (kcal) 130 Fat (g) 10 Saturated Fat (g) 1.5 Cholesterol (mg) 0 Carbohydrates (g) 9 Dietary Fiber (g) 4 Total Sugars (g) 4 Protein (g) 1 Sodium (mg) 220, Harissa-Roasted Eggplant With Fried Capers. I love ratatouille, and I agree, the way to cook aubergine is to dice it and cook in a lidded pan with only a little oil it will cook quite well. Stir to combine. Add capsicum and eggplant, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until soft, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. But in fact, the recipe gave me the chance to give my stovetop a long-overdue cleaning. I left mine out for 4 before I refrigerated, and now I'm wondering if that's even ok, given government says not to eat anything that's been at room temp for longer than 2 hours. If you dont know it already, give me a shout & Ill share my recipe. Its great stuff and does last quite some time in home fridges. I used two large eggplants, a large onion, a lot of garlic, five celery ribs, a box of chopped tomatoes, , chopped basil, Italian seasoning, chopped fresh thyme and high quality balsamic vinegar. chiffonade of fresh Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Dice 3 medium plum tomatoes, if using. I usually make Julia Childs ratatouille a couple of times each summer. Directions Preheat the oven to 425. It is my own recipe that I prepare often in the summer but sometimes in the colder seasons as good vegetable are available in Italy all year around and good Sicilian tomatoes can be found in the winter. My favorite book is the art of Sicilian cooking by Anna Muffoletto. By pure coincidence Ive just made a large caponata tonight. caponata - smitten kitchen which flavour Substituted two tablespoons of good quality balsamic vinager,added green Sicilian olives and golden raisins for a touch of sweetness. Taste, and add additional salt if desired, and perhaps another splash of vinegar. I am not a fan of capers. I love both ratatouille & caponata, fabulous to have a new recipe. Now to fry a skillet of two medium sized eggplants I use about 2-3 table spoons of olive oil. But I love anything with aubergine in. Place the whole eggplant on the pan, prick with a fork in several places, and rub with olive oil. Each vegetable is cooked separately, and then they are layered,so the distinctive flavor of each ingredient is retained. If you have them, add some toasted pine nuts at the very end. Then cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. Caponata! dish! Our favorite lunch is a nice thick slab of rustic bread, grilled, with a slather of good goat cheese, topped with caponata. Season to taste with salt and drizzle with extra oil. We've got classic versions of this sweet and sour aubergine dish, plus pasta, meat and fish versions. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Yummy served over polenta. Demeter (your tomato sauce) are known for their impeccable quality and making, all their produce is organic too I love them, although they are quite pricey. However, I lived in Comiso, Sicily, Italy for 2 years. Caponata (Sicilian Sweet-Sour Vegetables) | Saveur If your palate craves some heat (like mine) a sprinkling of dried hot pepper flakes takes it to another plateau. Product details Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No Added it the next day -think I may have preferred without. My tweaks in the interest of keeping the oil down I dont fry the eggplant but grill it on the stove top and stir it in once I have cooked up the ratatouille and let it simmer for a while. Even more grateful to be reading The Sweet Life in Paris again and for the first time in months actually wanting to cook! Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Be the first to leave one. Most are spiked with vinegar. All agreed, it needed to be peeled. FYI: In Belgium they call anything mixed and mashed together ratatouille. Like mashed potatoes with endives (aka stoemp). Easy Authentic Falafel Recipe: Step-by-Step. Excellent recipe and I added green olives, left off the pine nuts. We used to work together as in an assembly line and Im quite sure I used to be the one chopping courgettes. A vegan Italian dish with a deep, layered umami base that's rich like a stew. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR ADDING THE PRINT OPTION!!! By the time they are ready, they look slightly caramelized and cooked through, but not saturated with oil. Put eggplant into a colander set over a large bowl; toss with 1 tbsp. Stir before serving. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. My childhood was a deliciousvegetarianadventure. Caponata isthe cornerstone of Sicilian cuisine, according to Fabrizia Lanza, who was born in Sicily and returned to her familys agricultural estate to teach cooking classes there. The balance of vinegarband salt is key. Caponata is served as a starter or main course. When serving I add a small dollop of quality olive oil from the bottle for fullness (much better when it isnt heated), and a generous dollop of pesto .. the mix tastes like heaven. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently until wilted and starting to turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Easy and delicious! Pat eggplant dry, add half to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (6-7 minutes). I love Caponata Siciliana. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Subscribe to Gourmet Traveller - your trusted source and authority for the best in food, wine and travel. Classic Caponata Recipe | Epicurious Deglaze pan with vinegar and sugar, scraping base of pan, then add tomato sauce and simmer until reduced by half (5-6 minutes). Bring a medium sized pot of water to a low boil and simmer the celery until crisp-tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. The last few years Ive started adding a square of very dark chocolate, as some Sicilians do. 1 Toss eggplant in 1 tbsp salt and set aside to draw out moisture (15-20 minutes). Lovely! Caponata is a fun and versatile dish whether you serve it as an appetizer, a side dish or a light meal. Caponata !!! Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large (at least 12-inch) straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat . Pine nuts are horribly expensive here too (Paris region) because they need an awful lot of hard labour before we can sprinkle them in our food and Id love to substitute. Has everyone really been happy with 1/3 cup vinegar??? The authentic Sicilian eggplant caponata recipe is a sauted eggplant side dish with tomato, olives, capers, vinegar, and almonds or pine nuts. love your recipes, blogs and cookbooks!! Fresh basil brightens up this traditional eggplant spread. However, there I was, heatingoil in my cast iron skillet and frying up the eggplant for this caponata. This caponata is a vibrant mixture of fresh vegetables, including eggplant, onion, celery and tomatoes. https://www.davidlebovitz.com/my-food-photogr/. YUM. Caponata recipes 9 Recipes Magazine subscription - your first 5 issues for only 5! Serve at room temperature. Step 2 When water is boiling, pour enough over the. Great recipe that brought me back to my childhood. I suspect they fry the eggplant in olive oil, too, although in her book, Fabrizia recommends vegetable oil. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. Or mix with other veggies. Ive made Fabrizias caponata many times and it cant be beat. One of my go to recipes: easy, healthy, delicious, and adaptable. Eggplant Caponata (Sicilian Version) - Allrecipes I could have done with maybe a tablespoon. But it leads me to my green olive conundrum. Have made many different caponatas, but this one is my fav. can't imagine why people say its I made this last night for dinner and it was delicious! Epicurious may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. This took some serious time (looks easy on paper, and indeed it is, just takes some effort! Absolutely delicious right from the pot but if you can possibly hold out overnight you will be rewarded with even better taste. Glad you liked the ice cream! Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. And the queen of them all:la caponata! Some rinse the eggplant, then dry them well by squeezing them in paper towels or a kitchen towel, others simply squeeze them dry at this point. Thoughts? yes, those of us lucky enough to live in italy use olive oil to fry too. Because eggplant absorbs flavors like a sponge, its particularly good in such a pungent dish. Toss eggplant with 2 Tbsp. Eggplant Caponata Recipe - This Italian Kitchen This comforting, richly spiced Indian mushroom gravy is great for casual weeknight meals and dressed-up dinner parties alike. I used an aged balsamic white vinegar and used less sugar and itnhas a nice refined flavor. I like this because it gives really good tomato flavor and I dont have to deal with the added sugar and other flavors that commercial sauces so often use to enhance the flavor. My son who thought he didn't like eggplant is a convert. Place raisins in a small heat proof bowl and prepare an ice bath in a medium bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to make the sauce base. Do you know her ? Ad Choices, 1 1 1/2-pound eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings in juice. Served to guests along with some toasted baguette. Voila (ps. There are plenty of options with this warm roasted eggplant salad: scoop it up with some grilled bread, toss it with pasta, or serve it on top of polenta. Together, they give this little vegetarian eggplant salad all sorts of beautiful texture and special flavor. Heat 2 tbsp. I love Fabrizias caponata recipe and made it with her in Sicily and later at my house in New Jersey. It may be just your particular eggplant? Question - is anyone else nervous about the recommendation to leave this at room temperature for 8 hours? Theu were in agreement that you are one fine chef! Or go for it and use olive oil. Spoon sauce on top, spreading evenly, and let stand, covered with a kitchen towel, at room temperature, at least 8 hours (for flavors to develop). Meanwhile, combine the onion, celery and 60ml oil in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until vegetables are softened (5-7 minutes). The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Toss eggplant with 2 Tbsp. Roasted Summer Vegetable Caponata. We love caponata in our house its a staple. It makes a great snack served with chunks of bread for scooping, and is a good partner for grilled lamb, or robust fish such as tuna or swordfish. Dice 1 small yellow onion and mince 2 cloves garlic. This looks amazing, David! Cooking advice that works. I'm currently mixing it with other ingredients to save it in a spaghetti sauce. Get our best recipes and all Things Mediterranean delivered to your inbox. Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for caponata. Curried Steak With Sweet-and-Sour Cucumber Dressing. Left it on low for a few hours covered and viola! onions and celery at the end to cook. time, as I know Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery. Claudia lives in magnificent Rome. Heat 100ml oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Less salty than those recipes calling for the addition of olives.