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  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes one 12-inch pizza
  • Serving size: ¼ of a pizza
  • Print/save recipe

A popular Sicilian side dish or appetizer that can be served warm, chilled, or at room temperature, caponata prominently features plump chopped eggplants, onions, tomatoes, vinegar, and olive oil. Our oil-free version makes for a hearty (and slightly messy) pizza topping in this tasty knife-and-fork meal. Tender veggies are simmered on the stove with diced tomatoes, Italian herbs, and a little red wine vinegar until everything transforms into a savory cross between a thick stew and a chunky marinara sauce. Here, we top a homemade whole wheat pizza crust with a spread of mashed butter beans and then spoon caponata on top. After baking in the oven to get a perfectly crisp crust, a sprinkling of fresh arugula leaves brings brightness to the hearty flavors of this Mediterranean masterpiece. 

Tip: Leftover caponata also makes a great sandwich filling, dip, or foundation for a grain or pasta salad.

For more pizza inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

By Ellen Boeke,

Ingredients

  • 1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes (4½ cups)
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • ½ cup finely chopped carrot
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 14.5-oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon pure cane sugar
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 recipe Homemade Oil-Free Pizza Dough
  • 1 15-oz. can no-salt-added butter beans, rinsed and drained (1½ cups), mashed slightly
  • 1 cup fresh arugula

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. For caponata, in an extra-large skillet cook eggplant, onion, carrot, and garlic over medium 6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Stir in the next seven ingredients (through sugar). Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid is reduced. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.
  • Place Oil-Free Pizza Dough on a large piece of parchment paper and roll into a 12-inch circle. Prick with a fork. Transfer dough (and parchment) to a baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes.
  • Spread beans over crust, leaving a ½-inch border. Top with caponata. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is golden and crisp. Top with arugula.
Nutritional Information:

Per serving (¼ of a pizza): 374 calories, 81 g carbohydrates, 16 g protein, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 473 mg sodium, 18 g fiber, 12 g sugar

Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.

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About the Author

Ellen Boeke headshot

About the Author

Ellen Boeke

Ellen Boeke has more than 25 years of experience as a recipe developer and food editor. She holds Bachelor's of Science degrees in consumer food science and journalism from Iowa State University and attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France. Find her on LinkedIn.
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