Want a Mediterranean Trip? This Sheet-Pan Dinner Is the Subsequent Greatest Factor

Every time I’ve a glut of late summer season produce, I make an enormous batch of caponata, a Sicilian eggplant dish bolstered with tomatoes, celery, capers, and typically carrots or bell peppers. (Some would say it is the Italian model of ratatouille.) Caponata has a thick, stew-like texture; the dish is usually served as a part of an antipasto plate or paired with bread, fish, or pasta. It’s historically made on the range in a big Dutch oven or pot, requiring frequent stirring to stop burning. This summer season, although, I’ve turned to my trusty sheet pan for a extra hands-off strategy.

My sheet-pan model could not be simpler: Chop up the greens, roast them till they’re smooth, then frivolously mash them with some capers, olives, contemporary parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil and pink wine vinegar. This helps marry the flavors and creates a barely saucy consistency that mimics the standard model. 

Even when scooped onto thick slices of crusty bread, caponata is hardly a full meal; in truth, it’s typically thought of to be a relish. That mentioned, a number of fish fillets are all it takes to remodel this flavorful facet right into a easy, satisfying dinner. I desire cod for its gentle taste and velvety texture, however one other white fish, resembling halibut or haddock, will work properly too. As soon as the greens come out of the oven, you will prepare dinner the fish on the identical sheet pan, conserving cleanup minimal.

Roast the Veggies Scorching and Quick, Then Cook dinner the Fish Low and Sluggish

When cooking caponata on a sheet pan, there is a threat the greens will end up dry and crisp moderately than smooth and juicy. It is because the pan’s low sides go away its contents particularly uncovered to the oven’s sizzling air. To mitigate this, I take advantage of high-moisture greens, resembling eggplant and cherry tomatoes, skipping the carrots and celery present in conventional variations, which dry out simply within the oven. The greens are roasted at a comparatively excessive temperature of 400°F (204°C), which softens them shortly. You will need to flip the oven manner down when it is time to prepare dinner the cod, although.

Cod makes a super canvas for the punchy, sweet-and-sour caponata, because the gentle fish would not compete with the caponata’s daring taste. However cod and different white fish fillets are additionally notoriously straightforward to overcook. To reduce that threat, I cut back the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C), so the fish can bake low and gradual. Brushing the fillets with some olive oil additionally helps hold them moist. Remember that the precise cooking time will fluctuate drastically relying on the thickness of your fish—you will know it is carried out when the fish feels agency to the contact and flakes simply with a fork. You can too use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness: You are on the lookout for 140°F (60°C) on the thickest a part of the fillet.

For Correct Agrodolce Taste, Season Assertively

Caponata is usually described as “agrodolce,” an Italian time period for assertively sweet-and-sour dishes. Many recipes name for golden raisins or currants to supply that signature sweetness, however I don’t at all times hold them available. As a substitute, I merely add a number of teaspoons of excellent old school sugar, which reinforces the pure sweetness of the roasted peppers and tomatoes and is balanced with a wholesome splash of pink wine vinegar. A beneficiant quantity of salt can also be key to a robustly flavored dish. 

Because the fish cooks, the caponata rests and marinates, permitting the greens to absorb the candy, vinegary dressing and the flavors to meld. Don’t fear about it cooling down: Caponata is a dish that tastes greatest at room temperature.

Serve with Crusty Bread, Pearl Couscous, or a Hearty Grain

Serve this dish as quickly because the cod comes out of the oven, because the fish will dry out the longer it sits. Divide the caponata amongst plates, then high with a fillet or place it alongside. Pearl couscous or crusty bread make nice automobiles for absorbing any additional sauce, however a hearty grain, resembling pearl barley or farro, can be good, too. End with a drizzle of your fanciest olive oil for a peppery word—it is the proper completion.

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