Ingredients
For Pizza di Randinie or Pizza di Grandini (Corn Pizza)
1 1/2 cups coarse yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups fine yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons salt
2 to 3 cups boiling water
For sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, whole [traditional method] or chopped
2 cups dried white cannelloni beans or white pea beans (or 2 cans of beans, 19 oz each)
1 bay leaf (optional)
1/2 cup water in which the beans were cooked in
1/4 pound fresh pork belly, cut into bite-sized pieces -- 1 1/2 inches long by 3/4 inch wide (optional)*
or
Pork skin
3 dried sweet red peppers
1 teaspoon salt
Seasonings (optional):
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
or
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
or
1 teaspoon dried oregano
or
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
or
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
or
1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped
*Generally speaking, in pre World War II Southern Italy "paste e fagioli" was a meatless dish, but the well-to-do did add "ciccicoli," bite-sized chunks of fresh pork belly or pork skin, to enhance the flavor of the dish.
Directions
To make Pizza di grandini
1. Boil water in a large pot on the stove burner. Add salt.
2. Turn down heat.
3. In a separate bowl mix the "coarse" cornmeal with the "fine" cornmeal.
4. Add the mixed cornmeal to the boiled water in the large pot on the stove burner and mix well for a few minutes on low heat (The mixture should be very thick as one will have to make a "pizza" out of it).
5. Remove the cooked cornmeal from the large pot and knead on a wooden board for a few minutes.
6. Shape into a dough-ball.
7. Place the dough-ball into a [9 inch] springform pan and flatten it out (The mixture should be about 1 inch thick). Alternatively, if one were to use the traditional method one would flatten the dough-ball on a baking sheet, making a nice round shape, but for this traditional cooking technique to be successful one requires a great deal of skill.
8. Place the springform pan in a preheated 375 degree F oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
9. Remove from the "pizza di grandini" from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes in the pan.
10. Remove the "pizza di grandini" and cut into individual slices or into chunks. In Southern Italy most cooks cut it up into chunks, but this is less visually appealing than slices. (P.S. The "pizza di grandini" hardens rather quickly, so if one plans to serve it with chard or beans, it's best to cut it up while it's still a bit warm.).
To prepare the beans:
Step 1. Place dried white beans in water and soak overnight.
Step 2. Cook soaked beans for about half an hour to an hour (the amount of time depends on the size of the beans). Add a bay leaf to the cooking (if desired).
Step 3. Drain the beans, reserving the liquid.
Obviously, if one is using canned beans, steps 1 and 2, are not followed.
For pork skin:
1. Soak overnight, cut into very large pieces, in a large bowl of cold water (place in fridge).
2. Remove and cut into small chunks (about 2 inches by 2 inches)
3a. Version I. (The traditional method): Boil with beans.
3b. Version II. To avoid the greasy taste the skin will inevitably add to the beans, boil the skin in a separate boil for about 20 minutes and then add to the olive oil, saute with the garlic etc.
To make the sauce:
Step 1. Peel garlic. Keep whole [traditional method], or chop.
Step 2. Chop the fresh pork belly into bite-size pieces (if using). Or add chunks of pork skin.
Step 3. Crush dried sweet red peppers into bite-size pieces.
Step 4. Heat olive oil in a deep pan.
Step 5. Add chopped garlic, pork belly pieces (or pork skin) and crushed sweet dried red peppers. Fry until most of the fat from the pork belly is rendered.
Step 6. Add the beans, with some of the reserved liquid [water] in which the beans were cooked in (about 3/4 cup) -- the amount of liquid depends on personal preference. Add salt.
To serve pizza con fogiole
1. Place the chunks (or small slice) of pizza con fogiole in a plate.
2. Add the cooked beans on the corn pizza.
3. Add extra liquid from the cooked beans to the individual plate, making sure the corn pizza will be soft enough to cut through.
4. Garnish with extra parsley etc.
3. Serve warm.
Notes
Photo: Mary Melfi |
