Non-VegetarianMolisana cuisine Main Course

Pizza e Minestra Molisana

Name: Pizza e Minestra Molisana
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Molisana
Ingredients: 350 g coarse yellow polenta flour; 400 ml boiling water; 8 g Fine sea salt; 800 g mixed bitter winter greens; 70 g tured pork pancetta or lardo; 45 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 3 item Garlic cloves; 1 item dried red chilli pepper

A traditional Molisano dish of crusty unleavened maize flatbread crumbled into braised bitter field greens, known locally as pizza e menèstra.

🇮🇹Italy· Molise

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 480 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

350 g coarse yellow polenta flour — coarse cornmeal (farina di mais)
400 ml boiling water — for scalding the cornmeal
8 g Fine sea salt — split between bread and greens
800 g mixed bitter winter greens — such as Savoy cabbage, curly kale, chicory, or turnip tops, washed and trimmed
70 g tured pork pancetta or lardo — finely diced
45 ml Extra virgin olive oil — plus extra for greasing
3 item Garlic cloves — peeled and lightly crushed
1 item dried red chilli pepper — crumbled or sliced

Equipment

•Large saucepan
•Heavy baking sheet or cast-iron pan
•Mixing bowl
•Large frying pan

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 480 kcal
fat: 18 g
carbs: 68 g
fibre: 9 g
protein: 12 g
calories: 480 kcal

Instructions

1
Heat the oven to 220 degrees C and lightly grease a heavy baking sheet with oil.
2
Place the cornmeal in a mixing bowl and mix in 5 grams of salt.
3
Pour the boiling water over the cornmeal and stir briskly with a wooden spoon until a dense dough forms.
4
Press the warm dough into a round disc roughly two centimetres thick onto the baking sheet.
5
Bake for thirty minutes until firm and lightly golden with crisp edges, then let cool slightly.
6
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and simmer the greens for eight minutes until tender.
7
Drain the greens thoroughly in a colander, pressing out excess water with a spoon.
8
Warm the olive oil, diced pancetta, garlic, and chilli in a large frying pan over medium heat until the pork fat renders.
9
Add the drained greens to the pan and toss for five minutes to absorb the pork and garlic flavours.
10
Break the warm maize flatbread into rough bite-sized chunks with your hands.
11
Add the maize bread pieces directly into the frying pan with the greens.
12
Stir vigorously over low heat for two minutes so the bread absorbs the warm seasoned juices, then serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Use a mixture of bitter greens like chicory alongside sweet Savoy cabbage to balance the earthy corn flavour. Scalding the cornmeal with boiling water is essential to gelatinise the starch so the unleavened bread holds together without wheat flour.

Ingredient substitutions

cured pork pancetta or lardo → an extra splash of robust extra virgin olive oil to keep the dish completely vegan
wild bitter greens → a blend of Swiss chard, curly kale, and turnip greens

Storage

Best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers can be kept in a covered container in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat leftovers gently in a warm frying pan with a small trickle of olive oil over low heat until hot.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Leaving too much cooking water in the greens, which turns the maize bread soggy rather than lightly soaked.
•Using fine instant cornmeal instead of coarse polenta meal, which lacks the proper rustic texture.

Serving suggestions

Serve piping hot in wide rustic earthenware bowls with a drizzle of fresh extra virgin olive oil.Accompany with a glass of robust Tintilia del Molise red wine.