Polentanella (polenta tomato and basil salad) and three characters that seem to be the same

As I was watching Hannibal a couple of days ago I noticed something about Raúl Esparza: I have seen three different TV shows with him and he seems to be playing the same character in all of them. His Dr. Chilton isn’t much different from Rafael Barba, and the latter is quite similar to the ADA he portrayed in Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

I get that not every actor is Leonardo DiCaprio or Christian Bale, but it would be nice to see Esparza playing something different – perhaps he’s just typecast (hello, Ray Liotta).

Changes are good for actors – back in the 80s who could have thought that Tom Hanks would turn into such a talented drama actor? – and it’s good when it comes to food, too: this is nothing more than a panzanella salad in which the bread has been replaced by crispy polenta pieces. I thought it was delicious and with the addition of mozzarella it became a substantial meal, great for summer days.

Polentanella (polenta tomato and basil salad)
adapted from the always wonderful Delicious Australia

400ml vegetable stock
400ml water
200g instant polenta
40g grated parmesan
½ cup (120ml) extra virgin olive oil
450g cherry tomatoes
½ onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup roasted peppers, drained, chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained
2 small Lebanese cucumbers, chopped
handful fresh basil leaves
250g fresh buffalo mozzarella, torn

Grease a 20cm (8in) square pan. Combine the water and stock in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the polenta and stir until smooth. Over medium heat cook until thickened. Remove, stir in the parmesan, season with salt and pepper, then spread out on prepared pan. Let cool, then refrigerate until set (about 1 hour).
Preheat the oven to 220°C and line a large baking sheet with foil.
turn out the polenta and cut into 2cm thick strips, then break into 2cm pieces. place them onto the lined sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil. bake for 30 minutes or until the polenta turn crisp and golden. Halve half of the cherry tomatoes and add them to the baking sheet with the polenta. Drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 15 minutes or until soften.
Dressing: place the onion and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside for 15 minutes. add the remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper and mix to combine.
In a large bowl, combine the fresh tomatoes, roasted peppers, capers, cucumber and half the basil, pour over the dressing and toss gently to combine. add the roasted tomatoes and polenta bits and toss again. top with the mozzarella and remaining basil and serve.

Serves 4 generously

Buffalo mozzarella, artichoke and lemon pizza - a great idea for the weekend

Mark Bittman is trying to convince people to make pizza at home and his argument is that not only is it budget-friendly but the pizza also tastes better – I have got to agree with the guy. :)
The last time I ordered pizza at my house was nearly 7 years ago and so far we haven’t missed it – actually, to be honest, the pizzas we ate at other people’s homes (because I am the only “crazy person” who makes them at home) cost a lot and/or weren’t all that in terms of flavor.

Here’s my pizza, if you’re interested in becoming a “crazy person” like me; I used to make Richard Bertinet's pizza dough (which is amazing) but since I am always pressed for time I’ve switched to Donna Hay's recipe: it is much faster and equally delicious.

Buffalo mozzarella, artichoke and lemon pizza
adapted from the wonderful Modern Classics (Book 1) and from the always delicious Donna Hay Magazine

Pizza dough:
1 teaspoon dried yeast
pinch of sugar
2/3 cup (160ml) lukewarm water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 ¾ cups + ½ tablespoon (250g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt

Topping:
1/3 cup tomato sauce (more if you like it)
200g buffalo mozzarella, coarsely grated
6-8 store-bought marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved lengthwise
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
fresh basil leaves

Place the yeast and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the water and mix with a fork. Let stand for 2-3 minutes or until foamy. Add the olive oil, flour and salt and mix to combine. Transfer to a clean surface (no need to flour it) and knead until smooth and elastic – sprinkle with a little flour if necessary. Form dough into a ball. Lightly oil the same bowl and place the dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 250°C/480°F. With your hands, shape the dough into a rough circle and transfer to a large baking sheet*. Spread with the tomato sauce and cover with the mozzarella. Arrange the artichoke halves on top of the cheese, sprinkle with the lemon zest and bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil leaves and serve.

* I place the baking sheet in the oven for a good while before baking the pizza; then, I place the dough onto it when it’s really hot, spread the sauce and topping over it very quickly and put it back in the oven – it works really well (since I do not have a pizza stone) and the crust doesn’t get soggy

Serves 4 (at my house it serves 2). :)