Nonna Cisa’s scampi alla busara by Contestant Chef

Alida Cernogoraz Forcolin makes a dish that was first cooked in 1900s Italy to welcome home weary travellers.

Ingredients

For the scampi alla busara:

1 kg2¼ lb scampi (langoustine)
1 small red onion
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp tomato paste or a tin of 250gr of peeled tomatoes
1x 5¼ fl oz150 ml glass of dry white wine (optional)
1x 5¼ fl oz150 ml glass of fish stock
4 tbsp40 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
Coarse sea salt
Ground black pepper
Paprika or chilli (optional)
Freshly cut flat leaf parsley

For the polenta:

375 g13¼ oz yellow maize corn meal (the one already precooked that needs about 10 minutes to cook; if not precooked it needs about 45 minutes)
1500 ml52¾ fl oz water
2 tsp coarse sea salt

Method: How to make Nonna Cisa’s scampi alla busara

Cut the clean scampi on the back, just over the tail.

In a saucepan heat the olive oil, add the onion and the garlic clove very finely sliced and sauté them for 2-3 minutes.

Add the scampi and cook them, mixing until the meat becomes white and the shell a vivid orange- red.

Into the saucepan add to the remaining juice and the breadcrumbs and toast them a bit.

Then add the white wine and evaporate it over a high flame.

Add the tomato paste dissolved in the fish stock or in water and add to the scampi. Cover the saucepan and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Adjust with salt, pepper and optional paprika or chilli. Before serving, add the freshly cut parsley.

To cook a traditional polenta you need a small cauldron of copper but you can also use a deep pan. Put the water in the pot, heat it to boiling point, then add the salt.

With a wooden spoon make a whirlpool in the water and slowly add the meal, constantly mixing. If the meal is precooked it takes about 8-10 minutes to complete (check the cooking time on the packaging).