Pizzata Calabrese | Italian Cornbread Recipe
This Calabrian cornbread is quite different than the cake-like cornbread you're probeby used to. This is, quite literally, bread! It has a strong savory flavor that we can't get enough of.
Watch the Pasta Grammar recipe where we make this recipe here:
For this recipe, you will need:
- 1 1/4 cup (150g) corn meal
- 1/2 cup (100ml) milk
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 3/4 tsp. (3g) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup (75ml) water
- 1 3/4 tsp. (10g) salt
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- Red chili pepper flakes to taste (optional)
In a mixing bowl, combine the milk and the corn meal. Stir thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Pour the all-purpose flour into the bowl. Next, stir the yeast into the water until it dissolves and add this as well. Mix together by hand, in the bowl, before finally adding the salt and olive oil.
If you want to make your bread spicy, add a sprinkle of red chili pepper flakes as well!
Mix the dough together thoroughly. Cover again and let it rest for 1 hour.
Rub some olive oil on your hands. Keeping the dough in the bowl, fold and press it upon itself 4-5 times. Cover and let it rise a further 2-3 hours, or until it doubles in size.
Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 C). Place a tray of water in the oven to keep it moist.
Dust a clean work surface with flour. Flip the bowl upside down in the center and let the dough naturally pour out. Fold the edges inward to make a more compact loaf, then flip it upside down so that the "seam" is on the bottom.
Place the loaf on a baking sheet. Brush the top with a little olive oil and slice a shallow cross-shape slit across the top with a sharp knife.
Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 400 F (200 C), remove the water tray, and bake a further 15 minutes. Lower the temperature again to 350 F (180 C) and bake for a final 20 minutes, or until the crust is a deep brown.
Allow the bread to cool before serving. Buon appetito!