Polenta: Out Shine Pasta

Polenta is so synonymous with the Italian-style cornmeal mush, that most people assume it means corn.  But before corn was introduced from the Americas, Italians had always made nutritious and filling polenta from ground chestnuts, wheat, barley, oats, millet, and buckwheat.

Humble polenta has inspired a multitude of dishes that are both enchanting and comforting.  When topped with savory sauces, stews, beans, or cheeses, it becomes an excellent foundation for a main course.  For a hearty side dish, serve polenta plain or fancy.  Adorn it simply with butter or a sharp Italian cheese, or go vegan with no cheese but with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or caramelized onions with ground fennel seeds. Polenta can also be made into delicious cutlets, croutons, or bite-sized appetizers.  The Hungry Wife likes to serve cutlets with a savory sauce.

You can make polenta with any cornmeal: yellow, white, or blue; finely ground, coarse-ground, or stone-ground; roasted corn or quick-cooking.  Finely ground cornmeal will make it smooth and creamy; coarsely ground cornmeal gives a more solid texture.  But remember, the better the quality of the cornmeal, the better the polenta.

The characteristics of the cornmeal affect the water-cornmeal ratio, the cooking time, and the flavor and texture of the polenta.  The Hungry Wife recommends starting to cook the polenta with less water and adding more hot water if needed for the consistency you want.

Things to remember when cooking polenta:

• Use your heaviest pot: cast iron, enamel-clad aluminum, stainless steel, and non-stick are all fine.  Use a heat diffuser to reduce the risk of scorching.
• The rule of thumb for a basic soft polenta is 3 cups of salted boiling water to 1 cup of cornmeal.  For casseroles and cutlets, 2 cups of water to a cup of cornmeal gives a thicker porridge.  You can use stock or milk instead of water.
• Pour the cornmeal into the water slowly while stirring briskly with a whisk or wooden spoon.
• Lower the heat as the polenta thickens.  Cook it too fast, and it will be gummy.  But undercook it, and it will have a raw-corn taste.
• Cooking time can vary from 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon the cornmeal.  Cornmeal ground specifically for making polenta cooks in about 5 minutes.
• Stir often to avoid lumps and scorching.
• Store leftovers poured onto a flat tray and you have a head start on making cutlets.  Covered and refrigerated, cooked polenta will keep for up to 4 days.

Moosewood Restaurant New Classics, Copyright 2001, Moosewood, Inc., Clarkson Potter, Publishers

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