Polenta

Polenta is a versatile staple food

Polenta is a yellow corn meal derived from maize. It's the staple food of the rural northern Italian diet, where it still outshines pasta, and can be served in different ways, as a first course, baked, with stews, or even as a bread substitute. I like to serve polenta slices covered with pasta sauce and a liberal covering of Parmesan cheese. Some prefer to serve the polenta slices drizzled with olive oil and covered with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. It is also especially delicious with a mushroom (porcini) and tomato sauce! The quantities below will make enough polenta to feed four hungry people.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 pct (500grams) of corn meal -Polenta. (buy from supermarkets or Italian delicatessens)

4 pints (2,000ml) of water
(follow the manufacturers recommended measurements on the packet of corn meal.)

As a rough guide, it is usually 50grams cornmeal to 200ml of water. It has never failed me yet!

2 tablespoons salt or to taste

Method:

1. Put 4 pints (2,000ml) of water in a large saucepan.

2. Add salt.

3. Bring the water to boil.

4. Pour the corn meal slowly into the boiling water, keeping a thin, steady stream in order to avoid creating lumps in the corn meal.

5. Reduce the heat to a minimum.

6. Using a wooden spoon, stir continuously (in the same direction) for between 20 - 30 minutes. The longer it cooks, the better the flavour.

7. Remove from heat when the mixture becomes thick and doesn't stick to the sides. It should have the consistency of thick mash potatoes.

8. After stirring continuously for 30 minutes, the wooden spoon will stand upright in the polenta all on its own. That is when you know that the polenta consistency is correct.

9. Once it has come away from the sides of the saucepan, very carefully tip it all onto a wooden board.

10. Wait for polenta to cool slightly (5 -10 minutes).

11. Slice the polenta using a long piece of cotton thread. The slices do not have to be even. Make them about the thickness of an index finger.

12. Keep slicing the polenta until it is all done.

13. Arrange the polenta slices on a plate.

14. Cover the polenta slices with tomato pasta sauce.

15. Sprinkle the polenta with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Very tasty!!

Tip:

1. If you stop stirring the polenta it will stick and burn, so keep stirring!.

2. Polenta tends to bubble volcanically as it cooks with the bubbles bursting on the surface. Be wary about getting any on your skin as it can scald.

3. Polenta can be eaten hot as in above recipe or can be used as a bread substitute for stews or soups.

4. I like to grill it until it is browned and then smother it with soft cheese.

5. To slice the polenta using a piece of cotton thread. Hold the cotton thread between your two index fingers, slide it between the wooden board and the polenta base. Adjust for the required thickness and pull on one side of the cotton thread whilst keeping the other side still. It will cut the polenta without any problems.

5. Once cooked, it can be refigerated but should be used within 2 days.