Mozzarella and Basil Panelle

Every month when I do the meal plan for the next month, I look at what I have in stock and what I haven't used in a while.  There's so much diversity in there that I could go several months without using a particular ingredient.  I much prefer having some of over a dozen options to a lot of just a few.  Yes, buying in quantity is cheaper, but you don't want to know how old the 5lb bag of Calrose rice is, and I have about a quart left.  Fortunately, properly stored white rice has an almost infinite shelf life.

I keep the chickpea flour in the freezer, since it is high protein and it can take me over six months to use a pound.  Just a tip for anyone else who has a bean- or seed-based flour that might go rancid in the pantry.  It also means I don't see it on a daily basis.  It was a pleasant surprise to come across it and decide to make a batch of panelle.

I was also in the mood for tomato and garlic confit, and quickly decided to do a Margherita theme by stirring mozzarella and basil into the cakes.  There was rye flour under the chickpea flour in the freezer, which I turned into three small loaves of bread, two of which went back into the freezer for a later date.  I wanted the container back, and it's silly to put half a cup in the freezer, where it can easily get lost.

While panelle slices work best in small quantities, like for an appetizer, you can also make them the protein for a main-course salad, like I did here with the confit and some caramelized onions.  Be creative with serving ideas.  You could even use them as croutons in a soup, but they will probably sink.  Haven't tried it.

*1 C chickpea flour
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
*2 tsp dried basil or 2 Tb chopped fresh
about 2 C water
*1/2 C shredded mozzarella
oil for frying (olive or vegetable)

1.  Stir together chickpea flour, pepper, salt, and basil in a medium saucepan.  Add 1-1/2 C water and stir again to mix.  Allow to sit 30 minutes, to hydrate the flour.  Lightly grease an 8"x8" casserole with oil.

2.  Keeping another 1/2 cup of water handy, heat mixture over medium-low.  Stir frequently until it starts to clump, then almost constantly so it doesn't scorch or spew.  If the polenta firms up before 10 minutes of simmering, add the water.  When done, you should be able to stand a spoon in it.  Remove from heat and stir in mozzarella until it just barely starts to melt.

3.  Before the cheese gets too stringy, pour mixture into prepared casserole.  Smooth into all the corners, then cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin.  Chill until firm, 4 hours or overnight.

4.  When ready to serve, heat a thin layer of oil in a large skillet or rimmed griddle over medium-high heat.  I used the pancake griddle so I could do them all at once.  Cut polenta into desired shapes and transfer into hot pan.  Fry until crispy, about 4 minutes per side.  The cheese will get darker than the flour.  Serve hot or room temperature, with some kind of dressing or dipping sauce.

Difficulty rating  :)