Italian
Vegan
Gluten freeScagliuozzi
Fried polenta triangles
Scagliuozzi: crisp fried polenta triangles, the salty heart of a Neapolitan paper cuoppo
Scagliuozzi are triangles of firm polenta fried until blistered and golden, and in Naples they are rarely eaten alone: the friggitorie of Via dei Tribunali and the Pignasecca market tuck them into a cuoppo, a cone of brown paper, with zeppoline and potato croquettes. People buy them mid-morning or on the evening passeggiata and eat them walking, still too hot to hold. The outside shatters, the inside stays soft and sweet with corn. Make the polenta the day before so it sets firm. Chef's tip: cook the polenta thick enough that a spoon stands up in it; soft polenta spits and falls apart in the oil.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 230 kcal
Ingredients
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 9 oz coarse polenta (cornmeal)not instant
- ½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 1 tbsp olive oilfor the tray
- 4 ¼ cups sunflower or peanut oilfor deep-frying
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt (optional)to finish
Tick what you have; the rest goes in the basket.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Bring 4 ¼ cups water and 2 tsp fine salt to the boil in a heavy pan. Rain in 9 oz coarse polenta (cornmeal) in a thin stream, whisking all the time so no lumps form.
5 minStep 2: Turn the heat to low and cook for 30–35 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon every few minutes, until the polenta is very thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Stir in ½ tsp black pepper.
35 minStep 3: Brush a 20 × 30 cm tray with 1 tbsp olive oil, spread the polenta about 1.5 cm thick and smooth the top with a wet spatula. Cool, then chill for at least 2 hours or overnight, until firm enough to slice cleanly.
Step 4: Turn the slab onto a board and cut into 5 cm squares, then cut each square diagonally into triangles. Pat any damp surfaces dry with kitchen paper.
5 minStep 5: Pour 4 ¼ cups sunflower or peanut oil into a deep, heavy pan, no more than a third of the way up the side, and heat to 350°F. Check with a thermometer, or drop in a cube of bread: it should brown in about 60 seconds. Never leave hot oil unattended.
10 minStep 6: Fry the triangles 5 or 6 at a time for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and blistered. Common mistake: crowding the pan; the oil cools, the polenta soaks it up and the pieces stick together.
15 minStep 7: Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with 1 tsp flaky sea salt. Serve hot in a paper cone.
KrazyBadal
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