World Recipe: Mămăliga

Origin : Moldova/Romania

Preparation : 20 mins

For a cake for 6 people

For this new recipe, Iuliana presents us with nothing less than the national dish of Moldova, l a mămăligă (pronounced memelige), a polenta cake (cornmeal) very popular in Romania and in the province of the former principality of Moldova where she comes from.

A wheat-free and gluten-free recipe that can be prepared and adapted endlessly.

Iuliana has lived in Brussels since 2006 and is keen to pass on the tastes and culinary landmarks of her native region to her three children, for whom she enjoys spending time cooking balanced meals. Her parents' vegetable garden in the mountains, the women in her family whom she saw spending hours in the kitchen, the habits of those who went to work in the fields taking with them an onion, bacon, dry cheese and a loaf of mămăligă - this is what Iuliana wants her children not to forget.

She explains that most dishes take a lot of time, and a lot of love goes into Moldovan and Romanian cuisine, which is very varied, rich, and diverse. Thus, there are a thousand ways to prepare polenta, as a side dish for meat or a main course, or as a main course, accompanied by vegetables, cheese, or whatever is available.

Mămăligă settled in Moldova and Romania as soon as corn arrived in Europe, it began to replace bread and became a sort of ambassador of Moldovan cuisine.

Iuliana has chosen to share a simple recipe, the way her grandmother prepared it, traditionally slicing it with a string. Enjoyed with sheep's milk cheese and sour cream, it's delicious!

Mămăligă is normally prepared in a special cast iron pot called a Ceaun, but I've prepared a version for you in a stainless steel pan, which works very well and was approved by my children, who aren't usually big fans of polenta. I think the cheese played a significant role in the whole thing...

The ingredients

• 1 liter of filtered or mineral water, with or without vegetable or chicken broth.

• 250 g of corn flour for polenta or cornmeal for polenta

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

And to accompany: sheep's cheese, feta, sour cream, bacon, ham, onions, meat, vegetables, whatever you like.

Ma version, avec oignons grillés, fromage fêta et parmesan, et des tomates fraiches au basilic. Une omelette complétait ce plat

The recipe

Boil water/broth in a round cast iron pot or saucepan, adding salt, a spoonful of cornflour, and olive oil.

As soon as the water comes to a boil, pour in the remaining flour and mix with a whisk or the handle of a wooden spoon to avoid lumps.

When the water is completely absorbed, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or a little longer. Small mounds will form and air will escape, like volcanoes, which may produce a hissing sound.

It's ready when you see a crust appear on the sides of the casserole, or when the entire surface is completely dry. At this point, to give it a cake shape, take a tablespoon and dip it in a glass of water before pressing the edges of the mămăligă inwards, going around the side with the back of the spoon, to give it a round shape before turning it over onto a plate with a sharp blow. If it's well cooked, it comes off easily, leaving a crust that everyone loves to eat with fresh milk that is poured directly into the still-hot casserole. At my house, we opted to scrape the crust from the bottom and eat it by hand!

Smooth the cake on the plate with a spoon and let it firm up for about ten minutes. During this time, prepare the accompanying ingredients: eggs, vegetables, cheese, etc. Then, take out portions either by cutting with a knife or with a spoon.

#worldrecipe #Romaniancuisine #glutenfree