My Nonni's Polenta
*Serves 6
- 10 cups water
- Tablespoon sea salt
- 2 cups polenta (coarse yellow cornmeal)
- ¼ cup olive oil
*Optional ingredients:
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- ¼ pound (1 stick) butter
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese
- Put 10 cups cold water in a heavy-bottom pot with the olive oil and salt. Bring to a boil.
- Add the polenta to the water in a gentle stream, whisking or stirring vigorously in the same direction, as you pour it in.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so that the water is simmering.
- Stir continuously for the first 2-3 minutes to avoid any lumps.
- When the polenta starts to mildly bubble away, stir it every few minutes to prevent it from sticking. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom and sides. Adjust the heat as necessary.
- Cook for 35- 40 minutes. The polenta mixture will be thick and glossy and just pulling away from the sides.
- To finish the polenta, turn off the heat and stir in cheese. You can also add the butter and mascarpone cheese.
Cooking tips:
- The more you stir, the better the texture will be.
- Cooking it longer will add more flavor.
- Mix in more water if you want it softer, or turn up the heat, stirring vigorously, to thicken it.
- Low-sodium chicken broth can be substituted for the water for a different taste. Use less salt to taste.
- Polenta retains heat for up to 30 minutes, so you can cover the pot and leave it for 15 minutes or so before serving.
Variations for Basic Polenta:
Basic Polenta with Cheese and Meat Sauce
When we were young, we would scoop some hot polenta into our dishes, put a slice of soft Monterey Jack cheese or Gorgonzola on top. Top that off with more polenta and then pour some of My Nonni’s Meat Sauce over.
Fried Polenta
- Make basic polenta recipe and pour into a 9 X 13 baking dish and chill.
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
- Remove polenta and slice into ½ inch thick by 3-inches wide slices.
- Heat a small amount of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add polenta slices and cook, turning once, until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 8-10 minutes.
- Put polenta fried slices on paper towels on a dish and keep warm in 200 degree oven while you continue to fry.
- Be careful, the polenta will splatter while frying.
- If you have left-over polenta, pour into a baking dish and refrigerate. Unmold and slice.
- We used to love pouring syrup over the fried polenta for a breakfast treat.
- You can also serve it for a lunch or dinner side dish with My Nonni’s Meat Sauce over it.
Baked Polenta
- Make basic polenta recipe and chill polenta in a 9 X 13 baking dish.
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Slice or cube polenta and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned and crispy. Turn polenta once half-way thru baking.
Grilled Polenta
- Make basic polenta recipe and chill polenta in a 9 X 13 baking dish.
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
- Slice or cube polenta and brush both sides of polenta with olive oil.
- Place on a hot grill and cook, turning once until well marked and heated through – about 2 minutes on each side.
Creamy Polenta (Serves 4-6)
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of whole milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup polenta (coarse yellow cornmeal)
Cooking Instructions:
- Combine milk, butter, sugar and salt in a heavy-bottom saucepan and heat just to a simmer.
- Slowly add the polenta in a thin stream, whisking in the same direction constantly.
- Lower heat to medium-low and continue to stir the polenta with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken and mildly perk.
- Stir mixture every few seconds, scraping the bottom and sides of pan.
- Cook 25-30 minutes
Polenta with Mascarpone (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 tablespoons instant polenta
- Salt / Pepper
- ½ pound Mascarpone cheese
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Cooking Instructions:
- Bring milk to a boil in a saucepan.
- Add polenta, salt, pepper.
- Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.
- Add mascarpone and cream.
- Continue cooking until cheese melts, 2-3 minutes.
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