Calzagatti (Crisped Polenta with Beans)

Name: Calzagatti (Crisped Polenta with Beans)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 cup Cranberry Beans; 0.25 cup Diced Tomatoes; 1 bunch Fresh Rosemary; 1 whole Garlic; 1.5 oz Minced Garlic; 1 tsp Olive Oil; 1 cup Polenta; 0.5 tsp Salt; 0.25 cup Vegetable Oil; 3 cups Water; 0.25 cup White Onion

Side Dish 🥗Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪Snack 🍿 Italian 🇮🇹 Low-Carb Low-Sodium Heart-Healthy ❤️Gluten-Free Vegetarian 🥦Vegan 🌱Plant-Based 🌻Halal 🕌Kosher ✡️Comfort-Food

Calzagatti (Crisped Polenta with Beans) brings together creamy cornmeal set with hearty cranberry beans, aromatic rosemary, and bits of guanciale for a rich, porky depth. Once cooled and pan-fried, the slabs turn golden with crunchy edges and a tender center, accented by a hint of tomato. Serve warm as an appetizer or a rustic snack alongside a simple salad or aperitivo.

Prep15 mins
Cook25 mins
Serves8
DifficultyMedium

1

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gradually sprinkle in the polenta while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, until the polenta is creamy and no longer gritty, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat.
2

While the polenta cooks, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet. Add the guanciale and sauté until crispy. Add the minced onion, garlic clove, and rosemary, and cook until the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant but not burned, about 1 minute. Remove and discard the garlic clove. Stir in the cranberry beans and tomatoes and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
3

Fold the bean mixture into the polenta and mix well. Pour into a 9-inch square glass dish or silicone cake pan and let it cool, about 30 minutes.
4

Flip the cooled polenta out and set it, covered with cheesecloth, to air-dry until most of the moisture has evaporated, 8 hours to overnight.
5

Cut the dried polenta into 2x3-inch rectangles.
6

Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. Add a few polenta rectangles to the hot oil and cook, without disturbing the calzagatti, until browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until browned and crisp on the other side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining calzagatti, adding more oil as needed.