Chickpea Polenta with Mozzarella and Parsley

Still working on the freezer, and there was just enough chickpea flour stored in there for one more recipe.  Last year's parsley is finally bolting, so I need to use all the leaves somehow.  And there were the remains of a bag of mozzarella and some spaghetti sauce in the fridge.  That's how dinner happens around here.

I'm not going the whole way to panelle by frying these, but you could.  I haven't done a cold dinner in a while.  Felt like I was due, so of course I picked a chilly day to do this.  At least this is a wonderful way to do your cooking in the morning and have dinner ready when you get home.  And yes, the salad is also mostly parsley, with some home grown arugula and the first peas of the season.

*1 C chickpea flour
water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
*1/2 C chopped parsley
*1/2 C shredded mozzarella
olive oil for greasing pan

1.  In a medium saucepan, combine chickpea flour, salt, pepper, and 1 C of water.  Allow to sit about 30 minutes, to hydrate the flour a bit.  Grease a standard loaf pan with a few drops of oil and set aside.

2.  Cook the flour mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.  It is going to thicken into something like a roux, which is far too thick.  Continue to stir in water and return to a low boil until a smooth, cream-like texture is achieved, 2-3 cups total of water.

3.  Stir in parsley and mozzarella.  Remove pot from heat and pour into prepared loaf pan.  Cover in plastic wrap, touching the surface if you don't want a skin, and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

4.  To serve, slice and plate cold, or pan-fry for more of a panelle texture.

Difficulty rating  π