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Farro with Sweet and Sour Eggplant Caponata

This sweet and sour farro salad can be made a day or two ahead. Served with chicken or lamb it is a full meal or alone it makes a terrific side dish.

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword farro, Farro with Sweet and Sour Eggplant Caponata
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author Jane

Ingredients

  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons salt divided
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup dried pitted dates chopped
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/3 cup kalamata olives sliced
  • ¼ cup capers drained
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
  • 2 cups cooked farro

Instructions

  1. Cut eggplant in half and salt both cut sides with 1 teaspoon salt. Let sit for 30 minutes. Towel dry and chop into 1 inch pieces.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Saute for 4 minutes until onion is translucent but not brown.
  3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan along with the eggplant. Stir the eggplant and onions together and cook for 3 minutes until the eggplant is just starting to cook. Cover the pan for 3 minutes, stir and cook for 3 minutes more.
  4. While eggplant is cooking, heat red wine vinegar and sugar in a heatproof measuring cup for 1 ½ minutes until sugar is dissolved. Add to the pan with the eggplant.
  5. Stir in the chopped dates and olives and cook the mixture for 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Some of the liquid will remain in the pan but that will be absorbed by the farro. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt, capers and parsley.
  6. Stir the mixture into the farro and serve at room temperature.
  7. This can be made a day or two ahead but bring to room temperature before serving.