Polenta 5 Easy Ways

One of the staples of Northern Italy cooking is Polenta, a savory porridge made simply with ground cornmeal, water, and salt. It can be enriched with cream, cheese, olive oil, or butter, and chicken stock instead of water. 

Polenta complements meat and vegetable dishes that have sauces. You can serve polenta straight out of the pot, "dolloped" on a plate like mashed potatoes. You can bake it simply with a little olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese on top.  It can also be spread in a pan, layered and baked with a meat sauce or sauteed vegetable filling, or it can be cut in squares, circles, or stips and fried or grilled. 

Basic Polenta Recipe
Makes approximately 4 servings

4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoon butter or olive oil 

Combine the water and salt and bring to a boil in a medium-size, thick-bottom pot. 

Whisk in the cornmeal, reduce the heat to medium/low and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture is thick and it has a texture like grits (approximately 15 minutes).  

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter (until melted) or olive oil. 

5 Serving Options 

1. If serving "loose style," like grits or mashed potatoes, serve immediately. 

2. If serving baked as a side dish, grease the bottom of a 7" x 11" baking dish with butter or olive oil and spread the warm polenta over the bottom. Top with a drizzle of olive oil or dot with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven, uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese melts and turns golden brown.

3. If serving as the main dish, double the polenta recipe above.  Spread half the mixture over the bottom of a 7" x 11" baking dish. Top with approximately 1 1/2 to 2 cups of meat sauce, tomato sauce, or sauteed vegetables such as mushrooms, red or yellow bell peppers, and onions. Spread the remainder of the polenta over the filling, and sprinkle the top with a drizzle of olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven, uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese melts and turns golden brown.

4. If grilling the polenta, spread the polenta, while still warm, over the bottom of a 7" x 11" baking pan and allow it to cool and firm up in the refrigerator (about 2 hours). When firm, cut the polenta into wide strips, squares or diamond shapes (approximately 2 inches in length). Brush the polenta with olive oil on both sides and place on a grill or in a grill pan. Cook on both sides until the polenta starts to brown.

5. If frying the polenta, follow the instructions for grilled polenta above, but instead of cooking on a grill, heat 3/4 cup of olive oil in a wide, deep frying pan, over medium-high heat. When hot, add the polenta strips or diamond shapes in a single layer so they lay flat in the oil.  After the shapes brown on the underside (about 3 minutes), turn the pieces over to brown. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels before serving. 
 

Tip: Once you master the technique of making the basic porridge, all the variations are quite easy. If serving the polenta "loose style" on the plate, like grits or mashed potatoes, make it at the last minute, as it will become firm after it cools.  Have fun experimenting and enjoy!