Polenta with Chakchouka, an Italian-North African-Israeli fusion that harmonizes perfectly. Polenta is a northern Italian dish made from "Welsch" grain. It is a kind of porridge made from coarse corn flour, which is usually cooked, cut into pieces after cooling and fried in a pan. The Latin term "polenta" originally means barley and is also related to the Latin word "puls". Puls is a simple gruel made from barley and was one of the everyday dishes cooked by the Roman soldiers in antiquity. Chakchouka, on the other hand, originally comes from North Africa and is now considered an Israelian national dish. It is a spicy vegetarian stew made from tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and gently poached eggs.
For the polenta:
1 litre of water
Salt
150 grams of coarse corn flour
Some black truffle, sliced
Aglio Olio & Peperoncino Spice
Olive oil
For the Chakchouka:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1-2 teaspoons of cumin seeds, whole
2 medium-sized onions, diced
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 red peppers
800 grams of canned tomatoes, chunky
1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika powder
Pinch of saffron
5 Eggs
Salt
Pepper
1. Bring 1 litre of water with salt to the boil.
2. Add the coarse corn flour to the water and stir well with a wooden whisk. Cook the polenta until it is firm and comes off the edge of the pot. Season with salt, pepper and some black truffle.
3. Put the mixture in a round oven dish that has been oiled with olive oil, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with the Aglio Olio & Peperoncino spice to taste. Let it cool down.
4. Place the polenta in the preheated oven at 200°C and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the polenta is golden-brown.
5. For the Chakchouka, first heat the olive oil in an oven-proof pan. Gently fry the cumin seeds in the oil.
6. Add the onions and fry them for 10 minutes until translucent.
7. Add the garlic and red pepper pieces and sauté over a medium heat for about 20 minutes.
8. Season with the smoked paprika powder, saffron threads, salt and pepper.
9. Add the chunky canned tomatoes and simmer gently for another 10 minutes.
10. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
11. Press five hollows into the Chakchouka and beat an egg into each one.
12. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
13. Serve the Chakchouka with a golden brown piece of polenta. Enjoy!
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