Creamy Polenta with Spicy Kale & Fried Eggs
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste ½ c polenta or cornmeal 4 c fresh spinach or kale or 1 cup thawed frozen spinach or kale 3 cloves garlic 1 anchovy (optional) 1 Tbsp olive oil or butter ½ tsp chile flakes or 1 chopped fresh chile 2 eggs 1/3 cup grated Romano or Parmesan Pepper, to taste
Add 2 cups of water to a medium-size pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the salt, then turn the heat down to low and slowly pour in the polenta, stirring briskly with a wooden spoon as you pour. Once it's smooth and thick, leave the spoon in the pot and place a lid on it, slightly askew, so that steam can escape.
Let the polenta cook while you prepare the rest of the meal, checking in occasionally to give it a stir. The total cooking time should be 25 to 30 minutes.
Chop the spinach or kale roughly, making sure to remove the hard stem if you've opted for kale. Finely chop the garlic and anchovy, if using, and set aside.
Place a pan over medium heat and add half the olive oil. Let the pan heat up until it sizzles when you flick it with water. Add the garlic, anchovy, and chile flakes. Let them cook until you can smell them, about 1 minute. Add the spinach or kale and toss with tongs until coated with the garlic mixture. Cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
When the polenta is about 2 minutes from being done stir in the cheese and start the eggs. Carefully wipe off the pan you just used, and place over medium heat. Add the remaining olive oil. When the oil is hot, crack the eggs into the pan and cover with a lid to steam them, 1 to 2 minutes. You'll have sunny-side-up eggs with fully cooked whites.
Scoop the polenta into two bowls. Layer the spinach mixture over the polenta.
Once the whites have cooked, remove the eggs from the pan with a spatula and lay them over the spinach. Top with another sprinkling of cheese.