How to make polenta? It is actually pretty easy but you have to know what to use and how to do it exactly. All it takes to make polenta is a little cornmeal and chicken stock. It’s also a pretty frugal side dish as well!
Do you like this Italian treat?
You might be familiar with grits. Well it’s more or less the same ingredient. Cornmeal. However polenta is a little finer than grits.
Cornmeal
Cooking this finer cornmeal is very easy.
It’s crucial that you let the polenta simmer for quite some time until it is soft and tacky. In the end it should look a bit like a potato mash. The taste is totally different of course, a little corny (what a surprise).
I remember the very first times that I prepared it. I would take the cooking corn meal off the stove way too early.
Undercooked
And yes, I was a little disappointed because it was grainy and a little unpleasant. I didn’t get why everyone was so wild about polenta. Now I know better because I did my homework!
I usually let the cornmeal bubble and simmer for about half an hour until it is super soft and smooth. Add enough butter as well.
Oh I love it!
How To Make Polenta
It’s a delicious side for my Italian sausages in wine or my beer braised osso bucco recipe for example. A nice alternative for potatoes, bread or a bowl of white beans!
There’s a great treat to make with leftover polenta: fried crisps!
Leave it to cool in the fridge overnight preferably in a small baking dish. What you do the day after then is slice the chilled log thinly and fry it in some hot oil in a non-stick pan. The slices will crisp up amazingly, you should really try it.
Drain the fried polenta on some kitchen paper, sprinkle with a little sea salt and dig in.
How to make polenta?
I’ll show you!
Enjoy!
How To Make Polenta Recipe
Do you know how to make polenta? It’s actually pretty easy but you have to know what ingredients to use and how to do it exactly.
- 3,5 oz polenta cornmeal (85 g)
- 1 ½ cups vegetable or chicken stock (360 ml)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- pepper
- salt
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Pour the stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then gently stir in the polenta cornmeal.
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Season with pepper and a little salt to taste and stir.
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Cook for 2 minutes until the polenta starts to thicken.
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Turn the heat as low as possible and put a lid on the pan. Leave the polenta to bubble and thicken for 20 minutes. Stir regularly to avoid the bottom from burning.
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Add the butter (just leave it to melt on top of the polenta and stir again when fully melted). Cook for another 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and serve.
