fried polenta with cime di rapa

polenta fritta con cime di rapa

for 6

1.5 kg cime di rapa, washed, tough leaves and stalks removed

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

2 dried red chillies, crumbled

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

anchovy and polenta fritters

450 g Polenta (see here), made without butter and Parmesan

10 g (1 sachet) granular dried yeast, dissolved in 80 ml warm milk

300 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

sunflower oil for deep-frying

12 salted anchovies, prepared (see here)

Pull away any skin from the top of the polenta and discard. Mash the polenta in a bowl, then add the yeast and milk. Sieve in the flour and mix together to form a soft dough. Cover and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.

Heat the olive oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan, add the garlic and fry until beginning to brown. Add the chilli and washed cime, season generously with salt and pepper, cover and cook until tender, about 8–10 minutes.

Preheat the sunflower oil to 180°C/350°F.

Scoop up tablespoon-sized pieces of the dough, and push an anchovy fillet into the centre of each. Roll around in plain flour to form golfballs. Place in the preheated oil and deep-fry, turning to allow the balls to brown on all sides. Serve the cime with the polenta fritters.