Some dishes strike a chord so profound to become synonymous with memories of a place, a moment, or even a person. Caponata is one such dish for me, intertwined with the memory of a dear friend from Sicily, whose culinary prowess is unrivaled: known for her heavenly caponata, she crafted a somehow secret recipe that continues to mystify all those fortunate enough to taste it.

She’s a master at teasing us, her friends, with clues to her unique version of the Sicilian classic, without ever revealing quite enough to make it like hers. I’ve watched her labor over tiny, perfectly cut vegetables and roast pine nuts to golden perfection.