Recipe: Southern Italian Corn Bread with Cheese and Peperoncini (Pizza Gialla)

SOUTHERN ITALIAN CORN BREAD WITH
CHEESE AND PEPERONCINI (PIZZA GIALLA)

"This yellow pizza, as its name implies, is a wonderful savory cake that is traditionally added to vegetable and greens soups in the Italian South. Unlike in American corn breads, here the cornmeal cooks in the milk until almost as thick as polenta, and then it is mixed with cheese, eggs, and hot peppers. This hearty corn bread is delicious on its own, but I also like to serve it with a sweet-and sour eggplant caponata Sicilian-style, with borani, with plain grilled peppers or other vegetables and olives, or with any vegetable stew or salad. The combination can be a full meal or an appetizer, depending on the portion size. Dice any leftover bread, dry it in a low oven, and keep in an airtight bag to add to vegetable or bean soups."

1 quart whole milk
7 ounces coarse stone-ground yellow cornmeal (or polenta meal)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil plus oil for dribbling
1 pound mixed grated cheeses*
3 (or 4) dried peperoncini peppers (or chiles de arbol), thinly sliced or snipped with scissors
5 large eggs, separated

Pour the milk into a heavy saucepan over medium heat, sprinkle the cornmeal over the milk; add salt and cook, stirring, for 15 minutes, until thickened.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a deep 12-inch round pan with parchment paper.

Add 1/2 cup olive oil to the cornmeal mixture and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cheeses, chiles, and egg yolks, one at a time, stirring to incorporate fully. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until they form soft peaks. Carefully fold in the cornmeal mixture with a spatula. Pour the cornmeal batter into the prepared pan. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until deep golden and firm. Let cool for 10 minutes and cut pieces to serve warm or at room temperature.

*For the cheese, use 1/2 pound pecorino Romano or hard mizithra, 1/4 pound Cheddar, and 1/4 pound Greek manouri, ricotta salata, or mozzarella, or any combination of spicy and sweet cheeses you like.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Source: Mediterranean Hot and Spicy by Aglaia Kremezi