Italian secrets: polenta. Cooking recipes

Italian corn porridge, which has become famous throughout the world, is called polenta. Having gained recognition in northern Italy, the dish became popular in Slovenia, Serbia, Moldova, etc. Polenta is universal: it is served with cheese, meat, berries, and fruits. Depending on the recipe, the dish can be served both for breakfast and for a family dinner as a main course or instead of dessert.

What is polenta

Dish Italian cuisine Polenta is a porridge made from crushed corn grains, which is in demand not only in its native country. It is common in the northern regions of Italy: in Lombardy, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italian cantons in Switzerland. In other countries, polenta has a different name: for Slovenia it is “Zganci”, for Dalmatia it is “pulenta”, for Serbia it is “kacamak”, for Moldova it is “mamalyga”.

Polenta Recipes

Initially, the cereal was added to a deep, large copper cauldron without refilling and served as food for the poor population of Italy. Later, improved recipes appeared with the addition of mushrooms (champignons, shiitake), cheese, meat ( chicken fillet), vegetables (there is a recipe with tomatoes and celery) and seafood (shrimp). The versatility of polenta is that it can be served hot or cold, salty, sweet, creamy, hard or soft.

Classic recipe

Time: 50 minutes.
Number of servings: 6 persons.
Calorie content: 105.9 kcal.
Purpose: for breakfast, afternoon snack, for children.
Cuisine: Italian.
Difficulty: easy.

Classic Italian polenta from corn grits represents thick porridge, which is served without additional flavoring ingredients: without cheese, meat, seafood, etc. You can prepare the dish for breakfast, afternoon snack, or please your family for no reason. The advantages of corn grits include versatility: you can serve it seasoned with salt or sugar, cold or hot, it all depends on your taste preferences.

Ingredients:

water – 1 liter;
corn grits coarse– 250 grams;
salt – 1 teaspoon;
butter – 50 grams.

Cooking method:

To prepare, you will need a thick-walled copper or cast iron pan, or a cauldron. If such a device is not in use, it will do regular saucepan with a thick bottom into which water is poured.
Add salt to the boiling water, add corn grits, stirring with a wooden spoon.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring the mixture constantly. The polenta will begin to pull away from the sides and bottom of the pan.
When the mixture turns into a homogeneous mass, place it on a cutting board, use a spatula to shape it into a square, and cool.
Frozen polenta can be divided into pieces and served with melted butter above.

With cheese

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes.
Number of servings: 4 persons.
Calorie content: 368.7 kcal.
Purpose: side dish for lunch, dinner.
Cuisine: Italian.
Difficulty: easy.

Corn polenta with cheeses is suitable for lunch and dinner as a main course or side dish. The dish can be served hot or cold. For richer flavor, use vegetable or vegetable oil instead of water. meat broth. Cooking does not take much time. Housewives wait longer for the mixture to harden. You don’t have to spend time on this, but immediately divide the porridge into portions. This will not change the taste, but the aesthetic presentation will.

Ingredients:

water – 0.5 liters;
three types of cheese: cream (processed), blue, hard - 200, 100, 100 grams;
greens (dill, parsley) - to taste;
salt - to taste;
butter – 50 grams;
thyme – 0.5 teaspoon.

Cooking method:

Boil water or broth in a saucepan with thick walls and bottom, add salt, cornmeal. Stir until thickened. If desired, five minutes before removing the cereal from the heat, you can add grated cheese.
Place the mixture in a baking dish greased with butter and smooth it over the surface. Wait until it cools completely, then cut the polenta into pieces.
While the porridge is cooling, mash the blue cheese with a fork, add herbs, thyme and cream cheese. Stir the mixture until homogeneous mass.
Place baking paper on a baking sheet, place polenta on it, and brush it with the cheese mixture. Cover each piece of cheese with another piece (second layer).
Rub on top hard cheese grate and bake for 15 minutes in the oven at 190 degrees until a crust appears.

With milk

Time: 30 minutes.
Number of servings: 7 persons.
Calorie content: 152 kcal.
Purpose: for breakfast.
Cuisine: Italian.
Difficulty: medium.

Polenta made from cornmeal and milk is soft, creamy and tender. Porridge will please pleasant taste for breakfast, especially if served with toppings or jam. The set of ingredients is similar to classic polenta with the addition of milk. How to submit corn porridge original: cut out figures (circles, stars, hearts, etc.) from the hardened mixture and fill them with milk.

Ingredients:

water – 0.75 liters;
milk - to taste;
salt - to taste;
sugar - to taste;
butter - to taste.

Cooking method:

Pour water into a saucepan, bring it to a boil and add salt. Reduce heat to low and carefully add corn grits.
Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring constantly. When the cereal becomes soft, add milk and continue cooking. Determine the thickness of the future dish yourself: if you like thick, coarse porridge, then wait for it to thicken completely; if not, remove it a little earlier.
When the cereal is ready, add sugar and a piece of butter, cover with a lid for 5 minutes.
Roll out ready-made cereal on a flat surface, cut out figures from it with a knife or special molds. Next, you should wait until the decorations have cooled and hardened and pour milk over them.

With mushrooms

Time: 50 minutes.
Number of servings: 4 persons.
Calorie content: 545 kcal.
Purpose: dinner, family lunch.
Cuisine: Italian.
Difficulty: medium.

You can delight your family with polenta with mushrooms at dinner or lunch for the whole family. For this, it is better to use portion molds or clay pots. For bright taste before serving, the dish can be seasoned with chopped parsley and placed on the table various sauces(garlic, tomato). Before placing mushrooms on top, summer time You can fry the flatbread on the grill, or in the winter - in a frying pan.

Ingredients:

water – 0.75 liters;
corn grits – 330 grams;
dried mushrooms– 15 grams;
Shiitake mushrooms – 225 grams;
champignons – 225 grams;
olive oil – 1 tablespoon;
vegetable oil – 1 tablespoon;
butter – 30 grams;
head onions- 1 PC.;
marjoram - to taste;
fresh finely chopped oregano - 1 teaspoon.

Cooking method:

Pour boiling water over the dried mushrooms and leave them to steep for 30 minutes. Thinly slice the shiitake mushrooms and champignons, removing the stems and rinsing them first.
Place the frying pan on medium heat, fry the onion in olive oil.
Remove the onion. Add butter and vegetable oil to the remaining olive oil in the pan. Fry mushrooms (except dry ones) in the mixture, ground pepper and oregano for 10 minutes. All this time the products must be stirred.
Drain and filter the liquid from dried mushrooms, leave 175 ml. Wash and chop the mushrooms.
Add the onion back to the pan, add the dried mushrooms to it, and pour in the liquid from underneath them. Remove from heat after one minute of boiling.
Cook the porridge: boiling salt water add cornmeal. Stir and cook until thick. Place the cereal in a mold and let cool.
Cut the porridge into pieces, put mushroom ragout and marjoram on each piece. Garnish with oregano.

In a slow cooker

Time: 70 minutes.
Number of servings: 2 persons.
Calorie content: 105.9 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, for lunch.
Cuisine: Italian.
Difficulty: easy.

In a slow cooker classic porridge polenta is prepared easier and easier than over a fire. Corn tortilla can be prepared for breakfast, served for lunch instead of bread, as the Italians do, or after cooking, add vegetables (for example, peeled tomatoes, carrots or paprika) and enjoy as a separate dish. To prepare polenta in a multicooker, two modes are used: boiling and baking.

Ingredients:

water – 0.75 liters;
corn grits – 330 grams;
butter – 30 grams;
Parmesan cheese – 30 grams;
salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

Rinse the corn grits in cold water, then dry them.
Place the porridge in the multicooker bowl, fill it with water. Add salt to the cereal to taste and small piece butter. Close the multicooker lid and cook in the appropriate mode for 50 minutes until done.
After the cooking process is complete, sprinkle the surface of the thick porridge with grated Parmesan. Close the lid and bake the porridge in the desired mode for 10 minutes.
Serve the dish with fresh vegetables.

With pumpkin

Time: 40 minutes.
Number of servings: 4 persons.
Calorie content: 133 kcal.
Cuisine: Italian.
Difficulty: easy.

You can delight children with polenta with pumpkin for breakfast or serve it as a dessert for an afternoon snack. IN winter period porridge will help fill the body with vitamins and nutrients. Bright orange color lifts your spirits, “warms” you and mentally brings the onset of spring closer. The cereal turns out to be soft, tender, and sweetish in taste, which will appeal to both children and adults with a sweet tooth.

Ingredients:

water – 0.6 liters;
corn grits – 200 grams;
butter – 40 grams;
pumpkin – 100 grams;
sage – 5 grams;
parmesan – 100 grams;
salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

Rinse the corn grits, add water and salt.
Stirring, bring the porridge to a boil over medium heat.
Turn the heat to low and cook the porridge, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
Add pumpkin puree with sage, cook for 15 minutes until the porridge begins to pull away from the walls.
Remove the porridge from the heat, add Parmesan and butter.
Serve hot.

With spinach

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes.
Number of servings: 6 persons.
Calorie content: 361 kcal.
Purpose: lunch, dinner.
Cuisine: Italian.
Difficulty: easy.

There are two types of spinach polenta recipe: vegetarian and non-vegetarian. For the second option, you will find bacon in the ingredient list, but you can do without it. The dish can be served for lunch or dinner hot or cold. Prepare polenta in molds in advance, and when it’s time to serve lunch or dinner, simply reheat the porridge in the oven.

Ingredients:

water – 1 liter;
corn grits – 330 grams;
eggs – 4 pcs.;
butter – 10 grams;
onion – 1 pc.;
spinach – 1 bunch;
cheese – 100 grams;
milk – 50 grams;
bacon - 2 pieces;
vegetable oil – 2 tablespoons;
smoked brisket– 200 grams;
salt - to taste;
pepper - to taste.

Cooking method:

Cut the onion and brisket into small cubes. Fry the ingredients in vegetable oil for 5 minutes until the onion is soft.
Add the chopped spinach to the pan, stir for 30 seconds to loosen the spinach. Remove ingredients from heat.
Cook the polenta.
While the porridge is cooking, mix eggs and milk. Whisk the ingredients.
Add grated cheese, bacon, onion and spinach to the mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Grease a baking dish with butter, lay out the porridge, and fill it with the mixture. Bake for 30-40 minutes. 10 minutes before cooking, sprinkle with cheese and let it brew in the oven.
Cut the slightly cooled polenta into pieces. You can serve the dish to the table.

With shrimps

Time: 80 minutes.
Number of servings: 4 persons.
Calorie content: 330 kcal.
Purpose: lunch, dinner.
Cuisine: Italian.
Difficulty: difficult.

Polenta with shrimp - truly royal dish. It can be served not only for family dinner or dinner. Shrimp porridge will be served on the table for a holiday, for example, as a separate hot dish for a birthday, anniversary or Christmas. Cooking porridge will require a little time and culinary skills. But the guests will be satisfied unusual taste, they will ask for more.

Ingredients:

corn flour – 250 grams;
cheddar cheese – 50 grams;
butter – 40 grams;
grated parmesan – 30 grams;
vegetable oil – 2 tablespoons;
bacon - 4 pieces;
medium peeled shrimp – 30 pieces;
champignons – 6 pieces;
garlic – 1 clove;
lemons – 1 piece;
chicken bouillon– 100 ml;
Tabasco sauce – 1 teaspoon;
green onions– 4 stems;
salt - to taste;
black pepper - to taste.

Cooking method:

Bring four cups of water to a light boil. Add corn flour, stirring the water, cook for half an hour.
Stir in grated cheddar, Parmesan, and 20 grams of butter. Salt, pepper, cover with a lid.
Heat a frying pan, add bacon in small cubes, fry for 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Leave the rendered fat in the pan.
Salt and pepper the shrimp and place in a frying pan. Fry for 2 minutes, during which time turn over once. Transfer to a plate.
Throw thinly sliced mushrooms into the pan. Simmer, stirring, for five minutes, add chopped garlic, cook for another minute. Pour in the broth and let the liquid boil by a third.
Put back the shrimp, add a tablespoon lemon juice, butter, tabasco sauce. Cook for another minute.
Place food on plates and place shrimp on top. Top each serving with bacon and chopped onion.

Sweet polenta

Time: 30 minutes.
Number of servings: 2 persons.
Calorie content: 170 kcal.
Purpose: breakfast, afternoon snack.
Cuisine: Italian.
Difficulty: easy.

Diversify the taste Italian polenta you can not only cheese, spinach, shrimp or bacon. If you have a sweet tooth, you can make a dish with berries and fruits, season the porridge with sugar instead of salt or peanut butter instead of Tabasco sauce. Beneficial features Polenta allows you to replace your famous morning oatmeal with it. Sweet taste will appeal to both children and adults.

Ingredients:

corn flour – 100 grams;
water – 0.5 ml;
apple – 1 pc.;
peanut butter – 1 tbsp. l.;
raisins - a handful to taste;
berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries) - a handful to taste;
cinnamon - to taste.

Cooking method:

Place cornmeal in a saucepan, add water, stirring, and bring to a boil.
Add chopped apple and raisins. Continue cooking for 7-8 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, put peanut butter, stir the porridge.
Place in a bowl and garnish with berries and cinnamon.

How and with what is best to serve

Polenta can be served as a main dish or a side dish; baked or fried, it is a substitute for bread. Porridge goes well with complex culinary delights(beef bourguignon, fish dishes, for example, from cod), sauces. Italians cook garlic Sause in butter with the addition of herbs (parsley, dill). Italians serve the dish this way: they heat up pieces of porridge, decorate it with cubes of feta and slices of pickled cucumbers.

Video

Polenta is a dish whose name many have heard, and probably everyone has tried, but not everyone knows about it. Polenta is the name given to crushed corn kernels and is also a dish of Italian cuisine; in fact, polenta is corn porridge made from crushed grains. It seems like an ordinary porridge that we all ate in childhood, why did it suddenly become a masterpiece of Italian culinary arts? To answer this question, let's look at history. Polenta has been known since the 16th century, when corn was brought from America to Europe, then it became widespread and became the favorite food of peasants. Polenta was prepared soft, hard, cut into pieces, baked or fried, new dishes appeared, based on corn porridge, and gradually polenta won hearts Italian gourmets. Polenta and dishes based on it reached the peak of popularity at the end of the 20th century, going beyond Italy, this dish turned into gourmet food, which has become an adornment of many restaurant menus.

Polenta in pure form, that is, you are unlikely to find just corn porridge in a cafe or restaurant now; it is served under meat or mushroom sauces, add cheeses and vegetables. Polenta - universal dish, it is delicious both cold and hot, it can be made sweet or salty, hard or soft, grainy or tender and creamy. Cooking polenta is a long and labor-intensive process, requiring constant stirring during cooking. Some stores offer “instant” polenta, i.e. semi-finished product, the preparation of which requires a minimum of effort and time. But the most delicious and correct polenta will only come from those who cook it themselves in a deep copper frying pan or cauldron with a rounded bottom, constantly stirring with a wooden spatula with a long handle.

Polenta is a truly beloved dish by Italians, because if they didn’t love it, they wouldn’t organize a holiday in its honor. A grand culinary celebration takes place annually in the small town of Sermoneta, where from the very morning large copper cauldrons are displayed on the streets, in which open fire boil delicious polenta. The holiday is accompanied by live music, competitions, performances and tastings, and all this splendor ends with hearty lunch right on the central square of the city, where everyone is offered polenta cooked in a huge copper cauldron according to a recipe beloved by Italians.

Traditionally, polenta is cooked in a deep copper kettle by mixing coarse cornmeal, which looks like fine grits, into the water and stirring with a wooden spoon until it thickens enough to sit on a spoon, usually after 40-60 minutes. from the start of preparation. After this, the polenta is placed in a round tray, cooled, cut into pieces and served. In this form, polenta can be great side dish, if you want to offer it as an independent dish, then you will need to take care of the sauces and the further method of preparing it. For example, after boiling, polenta can be baked in the oven, after adding cheese and butter, fried in butter, cut into sticks or formed into balls and grilled.

There are ways to prepare polenta, as well as ways to serve it. great amount, the main thing is to choose or come up with your own, then on your table, in addition to the usual rice, pasta and potatoes, a new low-calorie side dish or an independent dish will appear, rich in carbohydrates, which means not only satiating, but also giving energy. Separately, it is necessary to say about useful substances contained in polenta. This minerals, such as potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and zinc, as well as B vitamins, vitamin E, beta-carotene and biotin. As you can see, polenta is an excellent example of tasty and healthy food, which means it is suitable for those who watch their figure and adhere to the principles healthy eating. But enough words, it's time to cook!

Polenta with vegetables and cheese sauce

Ingredients:
250 grams of corn grits,
1 l. water,
salt,
2 carrots,
1 onion head,
2 cloves of garlic,
80 gr. butter,
50 gr. olive oil,
2 tomatoes
1 tbsp. tomato paste,
ground black pepper,
ground red pepper,
5 sprigs of cilantro,
100 grams of processed cheese,
50 gr. hard cheese,
1 tbsp. with a pile of flour,
150 ml milk,
sweet ground paprika.

Preparation:
Before you start preparing the polenta, make sure you have a thick-walled pan, ideally copper, but it will also work. cast iron cauldron. Pour a liter of water into the cauldron, add salt and bring it to a boil. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, add the corn grits to the water, then reduce the heat and cook the polenta for about 30-40 minutes, stirring constantly. Polenta is ready when it begins to pull away from the sides and becomes sticky. Place the finished polenta on a round tray or cutting board and shape it the required form, because The finished polenta is viscous, so this will not be difficult to do.

Now, while the polenta is cooling, prepare the sauces. Peel the onion and cut into cubes, grate the carrots, place the tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds, peel them and cut into large cubes, finely chop the garlic and cilantro. Melt 50 grams of butter, pour in olive oil, add onion, fry it until transparent and add carrots. Then add the tomatoes, a tablespoon of tomato paste and a tablespoon of water, simmer for a few minutes, then add the garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper. Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan, add flour, mix thoroughly and pour in milk in a thin stream, without stopping stirring. When the mixture boils, add processed cheese, grate the hard cheese and add it to the sauce, bring to a boil, add paprika and salt.

Cut the polenta with culinary string or a pizza cutter, place a piece of polenta on a plate, pour over the cheese sauce, place vegetable sauce and garnish with cilantro.

Ingredients:
4 things. chicken fillet,
2 tbsp. olive oil,
450 gr. champignons,
4 cloves of garlic,
125 ml. dry white wine,
450 ml chicken broth,
2 tbsp. chopped parsley,
freshly ground black pepper,
1 tbsp. coarse corn flour,
70 ml milk,
2 tbsp. butter,
1 tsp fresh marjoram,
salt.

Preparation:
Salt and pepper the chicken fillet. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan, add the fillet and fry it over high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove fillets from pan. Wash the mushrooms well and cut them into 1 cm pieces. Peel the garlic and cut each clove in half. Heat 1 more tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, add mushrooms, garlic and salt. Cover with a lid and simmer until the mushrooms release their juice, then remove the lid, increase the heat and fry the mushrooms until golden brown, then pour in the wine and wait for the liquid to evaporate, add the broth and parsley, continue cooking over medium heat for about another 10 minutes. Add the fried chicken fillet to the mushrooms, cover with a lid and simmer over low heat until done. Meanwhile, prepare the polenta. In an ovenproof dish with a lid, combine 3 cups water, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and place in the oven for 15 minutes, preheated to 220 degrees. After 15 minutes, stir and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Add milk, butter and marjoram to the finished polenta, mix thoroughly, place on a plate, place chicken and mushrooms on top, pour sauce over everything, garnish with parsley and serve.

Ingredients:
300 gr. corn flour,
olive oil,
2 stalks of celery,
shallot,
dried oregano,
freshly ground black pepper,
pepper mixture,
2 tomatoes
6 pcs. cheese for toast,
12 pitted olives
basil leaves,
salt.

Preparation:
Pour a liter of water into the cauldron, add salt and bring it to a boil. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, add the cornmeal to the water, then reduce the heat and cook the polenta for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat, cover the cauldron with a lid, wrap it in a towel and leave for 30 minutes. Chop the celery, peel and finely chop the onion and fry everything in hot oil, add pepper and oregano. Add the resulting mixture to the polenta, cook until the liquid has completely evaporated, then transfer the polenta into a square shape and cool. Cut the cold polenta into 6 square or rectangular pieces. Place the tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds, remove the skin and cut into slices. Grease a baking dish with oil, place polenta on it, place cheese, tomato slices and 2 olives on each piece. Bake polenta for 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. When serving, garnish with basil.

Polenta is becoming an increasingly popular and beloved dish; it is winning the hearts of people around the world thanks to its neutral taste, which goes well with meat, mushrooms, fish and vegetables. Salty, sweet, hot, cold, spicy, polenta is equally delicious no matter how you serve it. It’s worth cooking polenta at least once to make sure whether it’s as good as they say about it, or maybe it will be able to exceed all your expectations, because it’s not for nothing that polenta has become a masterpiece of Italian cuisine!

Did you want to know what polenta is? I will be happy to tell you about this. Polenta is an Italian dish that has been known to us in its modern form for many centuries. Polenta is a porridge made from corn flour, which began to be prepared in Italy around the end of the 16th century after this cereal was brought by sailors from America and its widespread cultivation began. It is believed that the direct ancestor of polenta is the ancient Roman porridge “pulse”, which was prepared long before historical materialism.

Polenta is very popular in the northern regions of Italy - in Veneto, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as well as in the Italian cantons located even further north in Switzerland. In Slovenia (“žganci”), Serbia (“kačamak”), Dalmatia (“pulenta”), Moldova (“mamalyga”) and other regions, polenta is known under other names, but is no less loved. Residents of northern Italy are called “polentoni” for their love of this porridge. They, however, do not remain in debt and call the inhabitants of southern Italy “Terroni”.

Initially, at the start of its career, polenta was one of the main dishes in the diet of the Italian poor - peasants, wandering monks, etc. Corn flour was kneaded in a huge copper cauldron with a wooden stirrer until it reached the consistency at which it stopped flowing from the stirrer. A little later, when improved types of polenta appeared with the addition of other ingredients (mushrooms, cheese, vegetables, seafood, meat), it began to be offered in taverns, and nowadays polenta can be ordered in any Italian restaurant.

By placing a polenta recipe in the “Antipasti” (“Appetizers”) section, we mean a simple polenta recipe without all these “frills”. But polenta with anchovies, for example, will already be an independent dish that can be safely served as a main course. Another important note - polenta can be either fried or baked (as in the photo of polenta with mushrooms below).

Polenta recipe or how to cook polenta

I want to make a reservation right away - if you come across a polenta recipe on a culinary website, open it and read something like “bring water to a boil, add corn flour...”, then it’s better to immediately close this site - there’s nothing worthwhile in the field of Italian cooking for you there they won't teach. The point here is that cornmeal is 90% corn starch. By pouring it into boiling water, you will instantly get an irregularly shaped lump in an inoperable stage and will be tortured to turn it into polenta. In general, Italian grandmothers are indignant! Add cornmeal (by the way, don’t try to find one in the supermarket labeled “Polenta”, any will do, although polenta exists in nature instant cooking) V cold water and bring to a boil over low heat, once it boils, hold for 15 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and do not be lazy. As I wrote above, to check for readiness, pay attention to how the polenta flows from the stirrer - if it’s already difficult, then the polenta is ready.

I'll give you a few sensible recipes polenta comes from Italy and I will try to adhere as much as possible to the recommendations that any sane Italian chef will give you.

A basic, so to speak, polenta recipe. First, the ingredients (cheese is optional, the original does not have it, but we add it when we want a “softer” porridge substance).

Ingredients:

1 cup medium or fine cornmeal. You can have a large one, but if you don’t have a medium one, it won’t work either;
pepper and salt;
oil;
Parmesan cheese (optional).

We add all the ingredients as usual “by eye”, based on our experience.

Cooking method:

If to prepare hard polenta we take four glasses of water, then for soft polenta we will need five. Take a medium-sized, heavier saucepan (for stability when stirring) and fill it with 4 or 5 glasses of water, respectively. Salt the water - add about 1 teaspoon of salt. Pour corn flour into the water and turn on the heat.
Stir occasionally and wait until the water boils. Let's reduce the heat a little and note the time - to prepare the polenta we will need from 15 minutes to half an hour. This will depend on the size of the cornmeal and the intensity of heating. Don't forget to stir! This is the cornerstone of ancient Roman technology! If suddenly the water evaporates before the dish is ready, feel free to add another half a glass or a glass. At the end of the process, taste and add salt if necessary. And pepper. It's also not necessary to taste. Add 6 tablespoons of oil. Soft polenta is ready.
But it's still just the beginning for firm polenta. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and lightly grease it with oil. A shallow dish measuring 8.5 - 11 inches (21 - 28 cm) can be used. Fill the container with liquid polenta and spread it evenly using a kitchen spatula in a layer 2 cm thick. Cool the dish to room temperature and let it harden. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 days. It is not necessary to keep the polenta for so long; if you like it already on the second day, then you can serve it. Well, as I said earlier, you can sprinkle it with cheese right before serving.

Ingredients:

9 cups of water;
1 tablespoon salt, plus extra for seasoning;
2.5 cups yellow cornmeal;
1.5 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese;
1.5 cups whole milk room temperature;
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature;
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley;
freshly ground black pepper.

Cooking method:

Stick to the first recipe (simple polenta) until you remove the cooked mixture from the heat. Next add cheese, milk, butter and parsley. Stir it all until the butter and cheese are completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. That's all - polenta can be placed on plates.

Polenta squares with mushroom ragu (polenta with mushrooms)

Ingredients:

2 cups boiling water;
3 tablespoons butter at room temperature;
1 teaspoon salt and another for seasoning;
1/2 cup instant polenta or cornmeal;
1 tablespoon olive oil;
8 ounces chopped crimini mushrooms or similar;
1/2 cup chopped onion;
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus a little more for seasoning;
1 clove of chopped garlic;
3/4 cup dry Marsala wine;
1/2 teaspoon flour;
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.

Cooking method:

Stick to the first recipe (simple polenta) until you remove the cooked mixture from the heat. Next, pour the polenta into a greased frying pan or baking tray about 25x25 cm in size so that it spreads in an even thin layer over the entire area (about 1 cm). Cover with a lid and let stand for room temperature until ready. This will take about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy, large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and saute until the juices evaporate (about 8 minutes). Add the garlic and sauté until the mushrooms are golden brown (about 2 minutes). Reduce heat to medium. Add wine. Cover and simmer until half the wine has evaporated (about 5 minutes). Stir the flour and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl until a paste forms, then add the paste to the mushroom mixture. Cover and simmer until sauce thickens slightly (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat. Add greens to the stew. Decide on salt and pepper.
Cut the polenta into 36 (6x6) tiny squares. Place them on a plate. Spread the warm ragu over the polenta and serve immediately.

Corn porridge

An easy recipe for polenta with cheese. How to choose ingredients, subtleties of preparing polenta. Other options for preparing corn porridge dishes.

40 min

170 kcal

5/5 (2)

Sometimes it seems to me that the most famous examples of Italian cuisine can be called real treasures that cannot be replaced by anything. In my personal list of my family's favorite and most adored dishes, a recipe for Italian corn polenta takes pride of place.

The most interesting thing about this delicacy is that it has evolved from a simple food for the poorest into an exquisite, tender and airy dish of the nobility, which is served today in elite restaurants for such a price that my eyes just pop out of my head.

Did you know? Corn polenta was the bread, porridge and pasta of the Italians; it was never prepared with vegetables, as those who do not have enough cheese and milk in their porridge do today. This dish was indispensable for peasants northern regions Italy, which their southern relatives arrogantly called polentoni, which translates as “polenta eaters.” As a result, literally every region of this sunny country made its own adjustments to the polenta recipe, so if you have a risky temperament, start experimenting at your own peril and risk.

Kitchen appliances

How to cook polenta? Let's start by preparing the necessary utensils and utensils for this easy task. Take a non-stick pan with a volume of 3 liters, two or three deep bowls with a volume of 550 to 900 ml, a piece of gauze about 35 cm long, teaspoons, a cutting board, oven mitts, tablespoons, measuring utensils or kitchen scales, several linen towels or cotton, a colander and the sharpest knife in the kitchen.

In addition to the above, you will definitely need a blender or food processor with a chopper to speed up the cooking time of the polenta and make it easier for you to prepare the ingredients.

Required Ingredients

The basis

Additionally

50 g fresh herbs (basil, dill, parsley);
3 – 4 cloves of garlic.

Did you know? I highly recommend everyone to add to standard recipe various polentas interesting ingredients, which will have a positive effect not only on the structure, but also on the aroma and color ready-made dish, even if you eat it completely ice-cold, only from the refrigerator. For example, my mother and grandmother often poured sour dried fruits steamed in boiling water, a little dried ginger, ground rosemary, basil or dried sweet into the prepared polenta. bell pepper. In addition, for the ideal implementation of the recipe, choose corn grits whenever possible. premium, which has a fresh golden color. Using ground grains may adversely affect the taste and smell of the finished polenta.

Cooking sequence

Preparation

Important! Try to gradually pour out the cheese so that it does not clump into one lump. In order to definitely avoid this trouble, add the component a tablespoon at a time and do not stop stirring the seething workpiece for a second. If the mass begins to thicken greatly during the process, it means you did everything 100% correctly.

Preparation

Did you know? Try not to open the oven lid during the main phase of making the stuffed corn palenta, as it is very important that the product bakes quickly and this process is not interrupted by currents of fresh and cold air. Otherwise, the porridge may burn and the filling may not be baked.

Made! Now you know how to cook an excellent, very tasty and aromatic palenta, to which you can add various fillings for variety and improved taste. From now on you can delight with this amazingly beautiful and healthy dish your loved ones and guests at any time.

To serve this dish correctly, you don’t have to put a whole palenka on the table - just cut the porridge into portions and place on small plates. Don't forget to decorate this product with fresh herbs, cheese or berries and put more on top small piece butter. Eat palenta without bread, washing it down cranberry juice, fruit drink, fruit compote or coffee.

Watch the video recipe carefully

See how to turn ordinary corn porridge into real one cooking masterpiece– palenta. All the secrets of making this healthiest and most aromatic dish in one video.

Finally, it would be wrong not to mention to you about others great recipes manufacturing delicious products from surprisingly healthy corn grits. For example, be sure to try the surprisingly tender and appetizing, which ranks first in my ranking of simple dishes,

Corn porridge recipes

polenta recipe

25 minutes

90 kcal

5 /5 (1 )

Are you tired of standard cereals and want some variety? Prepare Italian polenta. This a traditional dish northern Italy since the 16th century. It is also common in the southern part of Switzerland. In addition, it is often prepared in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria. Kachamak, Zhgantsy, mamalyga - these are all names for polenta. It is served instead of bread or as a side dish. They make sandwiches from it and cut out figures for children. Despite its simple preparation, it is prepared best chefs restaurants. They make it out of this simple dish real culinary masterpieces.

Important points in preparing polenta

Pot To prepare polenta there must be with thick or double bottom. A cast iron casserole is ideal for this. In a thin-walled pan, the polenta is more likely to burn.
You can prepare it as follows: with milk, so on the water. But be sure to add butter.
The smaller grinding corn grits, the more tender the polenta will be. It's better to use cornmeal or real instant polenta.
You need the right polenta stir all the time.
Polenta without parmesan- This is not polenta. Therefore, do not skimp on a small piece of this cheese. In extreme cases, it can be replaced with another hard cheese.
You need to stir the polenta with a wooden or silicone spatula. You can also use it for this silicone whisk.

Recipe for Italian polenta with cheese

Kitchen tools: saucepan, frying pan, wooden spatula, grater, cutting board.

List of ingredients

Step-by-step preparation

It is prepared in a similar way. And for lovers Caucasian cuisine I recommend preparing it.

How to Serve Polenta

Here are just a few ways to serve polenta. In fact, there are a lot of them. That's why she never gets bored.

The easiest way is to add more piece of butter, mix and serve on plates. In addition, you can put honey or jam on the table.
We will need a small rectangular shape or a boat. Grease the dish with butter. Place the prepared polenta tightly into it and cool completely. When it cools down, put it in the refrigerator for 25 minutes. We pass a knife between the polenta and the mold. Turn it over and take it out. Cut into 1 cm slices. Place a cheese slice on each piece and leave for 5 minutes. hot oven or microwave.
Grease a baking sheet with oil and spread the polenta. Level it out and leave it to harden. When it becomes hard, cut it into portion squares. You can simply fry them in a frying pan with olive or vegetable oil and serve with hot coffee or tea. Or you can form a sandwich and heat it in the microwave or oven.
From one square of polenta, which we cooled on a baking sheet, squeeze out the middle with a glass. Place it in a heated frying pan with oil and pour the egg into the center. You can sprinkle cheese on top. Unusual and hearty scrambled eggs for breakfast ready.
For children, you can squeeze out various figures and water them condensed milk or melted chocolate.
Can be cooked polenta with vegetables. To do this, cut any seasonal vegetables into strips: eggplant, pepper, tomato, onion. Simmer them until done. Place the still hot polenta on a plate, spread it apart and place the vegetables in the center.
Can I submit polenta pizza. To do this, we form on a greased baking sheet from another soft porridge round cake and leave to harden. During this time, fry a couple of mushrooms, chop ham or sausage, and cut cherry tomatoes in half. We put it all on the crust. It can be coated with ketchup or sauce if desired. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for 5 minutes in a well-heated oven.
Mix the cottage cheese with chopped herbs. Take some polenta in your hand. We make a depression, put cottage cheese in it and form a ball. These buns can be served directly to the table or fried in a deep fryer.

And finally, I want to say that it is very convenient to cook polenta, like corn porridge, in a slow cooker. The Teflon coating of the bowl will definitely prevent it from burning, even if you are distracted from stirring.