Ingredienti
for 6
[ 2 l | 2 quarts ] water
[ 600 g | 7 c ] polenta
salt
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Ricetta
Bring the water to a boil and add salt to taste. Slowly pour the polenta into the boiling water while stirring. Stir continuously until done, about 45 min or longer depending on the grain size of the polenta. It should be thick and appear to almost peel off the sides of the pot. If it isn't yet cooked when it thickens add more water. Taste and add salt if necessary.
Pour onto a cutting board. Traditionally sliced with a string or wooden knife.
Notes: The birth of polenta coincides with the discovery of America, when corn was brought back to Europe. It is primarily a dish from northern Italy and its invention is attributed to Bergamo or Friuli. Cheap and easy to store, it was for long periods of time the only nourishment available to farmers. The lack of vitamins associated with this diet resulted in a widespread incidence of pellagra.
Nowadays polenta is served with a variety of dishes, most of them sauces with ingredients like sausage, dried cod, mushrooms, and cheeses. In some regions it is served so soft it is almost a soup and in others it is dense enough to hold its shape when sliced.
Any type of ground corn can be used for polenta: white, yellow, fine ground, thick, or stone ground. (For you Southerners, polenta is made from the same stuff as grits).
Left over polenta is excellent sliced and grilled with cheese or a sauce.
Copyright © 2001-2009 Gianmarco Pinton
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