Polenta, an Italian porridge-type dish that's made with ground cornmeal, is an all-purpose dish that you'll find preparing again and again. It is a satisfying side dish on its own, or you can serve it as a base for stews, saucy dishes, sautéed vegetables and more. It can also be chilled and cut into shapes and grilled or sautéed, or made into cakes. Master this polenta recipe and you can start playing around with the ingredients – try different kinds of cheese, stirring in flavors or seasonings, or adding a splash of heavy cream. By the way, use white ground corn instead, and you've got grits.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 6 to 8 cups water
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups polenta (not instant)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, optional
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter
Preparation:
- Fill a saucier pan or saucepan with 6 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil. When it comes to a boil, add 1 teaspoon salt and then pour polenta into water in a steady stream, stirring with a whisk.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and continue stirring frequently with a whisk. Polenta should be simmering with large, slow bubbles but if it simmers so hard that it splatters, reduce the heat. As polenta thickens, add water, one-half cup at a time, to thin it to stirring consistency. If polenta keeps sticking to the bottom of the pan, add up to 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes, until polenta is thick and porridge-like, and is soft and not gritty when tasted.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and butter, and season to taste with salt and pepper. When the cheese is fully melted and stirred into the polenta, remove from heat. Serve immediately, or to make grilled polenta, spread on a greased sheet pan and refrigerate until completely chilled before cutting into shapes. Saute in a small amount of butter or oil on either side until polenta pieces develop a crisp, light brown crust, about 3 to 4 minute each side.
