- 6
Ingredients
- Olive oil for preparing skillet
- 2 cups coarse-grind polenta
- 6 cups water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Salt
- 2 lbs assorted bitter greens such as escarole, kale, dandelion, Swiss chard or broccoli rabe, tough stems removed
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Hot red pepper flakes, to taste
- Grated scamorza cheese
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Liberally oil a well-seasoned 12-inch cast-iron skillet and place in the oven for a few minutes to heat.
In a heavy saucepan, whisk together the polenta and water and place over medium heat. Bring slowly to a boil, whisking often to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for just a few minutes until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper and carefully pour into the hot prepared skillet or dish.
Bake the polenta cake until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and is lightly golden, 30 to 40 minutes. The cake will be crisp.
While the polenta cake is baking, prepare the spicy greens: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the greens, and boil until very tender. Drain the greens into a colander, pressing firmly on them with the back of a spoon to force out excess moisture. Chop the greens coarsely. In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and the greens and cook, stirring, until heated through and coated with the oil, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Remove from the heat.
When the polenta cake is ready, remove from the oven and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into wedges and divide among individual plates. Top the wedges with the warm greens, again dividing evenly, and scatter the cheese over the top. Serve immediately