How to cook polenta? How to file it? How to make a rich snack out of the “poor” porridge? We will consider all these culinary issues in this article.
Recipe Content:

Among the many Italian culinary treasures, the public domain is many dishes: pizza, risotto, pasta, polenta. This is the most resonant “roll call” of Italian dishes. In this famous list, polenta occupies a special place, which has turned from porridge for the poor into a gourmet dish. In gourmet restaurants, the dish is estimated at a considerable amount. However, this dish is both democratic and rich.

Cooking polenta: subtleties and secrets

Polenta - a dish of cornmeal. This is a thick porridge, side dish or a stand-alone dish. It is served alone or with additives: meat, anchovies, fish, seafood, etc. The quality of the polenta depends on the quality of the flour. The dish should be creamy and smooth, because during cooking, starch is completely dissolved. Cheap low-grade flour will not give such a result, and larger particles will not completely dissolve.

• To make the polenta soft, you need to use 3 parts of water for 1 part of cornmeal.
• Cook the dish over low heat for 40-50 minutes, stirring constantly.
• The “historical” technology involves the use of copper utensils for polenta cooking.
• The readiness of the porridge is determined when the mass lags behind the walls of the pan. Then it’s time to remove it from the stove.
• Cornmeal can be white or yellow. But yellow is more often used.
• It is desirable to give preference to coarse flour, then the dish will be more healthy. From fine grinding porridge will come more tender with a creamy texture.
• To serve polenta, it is poured into a bowl moistened with cold water. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, after spread on a plate.
• The remaining polenta is kept in the refrigerator under plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
• If porridge is needed thick for roasting, then it is spread on a baking sheet greased with 1.2 cm thick fat and left to thicken or baked at 175 ° C until it warms up.
• Cut a thick polenta with squares with a pizza knife or an ordinary kitchen knife.
• Before cutting it is kept for some time in hot water.
• To avoid lumps, flour is slowly poured into boiling water, stirring constantly. Another easy way to avoid the formation of lumps is to pour corn flour into cold water, beat quickly, and then bring to a boil.
• If the polenta is burnt from below, then it is transferred to another pan without scraping off the burnt bottom and continue to cook. However, it is often stirred.
• Lumpy polenta is removed from the stove, kneading lumps, vigorously beat with a mixer.
• Soft warm polenta, while eating, can replace bread.

Polenta can be prepared in a variety of ways. But the simplest is in water with salt added. For a more tasty and healthy porridge, use yellow or white flour, and a thick consistency - coarse grinding.

• Calorie content per 100 g - 87 kcal.
• Servings Per Container - 4
• Cooking time - 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• Water - 3 L
• Corn grits - 1 tbsp.
• Salt to taste

Step by step cooking:

1. Boil salted water in a saucepan.
2. Pour the corn grits gradually, while stirring constantly.
3. After boiling again, when bubbles form, reduce heat.
4. Continue to cook cereals for 30 minutes, stirring constantly. If necessary, add water or pour porridge.
5. When the mass lags behind the walls of the pan, then the dish is ready.
6. Place the mass on a tray, shape it and leave to cool.

The original and classic recipe for polenta is very simple. The main thing is to observe the technology and the recipe sequence.

Ingredients:

• Yellow cornmeal - 0.5 tbsp.
• Drinking water - 1.5 tbsp.
• Salt to taste

Step by step cooking:

1. Boil water in a pan with a thick bottom so that the porridge does not burn.
2. Pour the cornmeal gradually, stirring it with a wooden spoon.
3. Salt and stir.
4. Boil the mixture again, stirring constantly.
5. Reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 30 minutes, not forgetting to stir.
6. When the porridge begins to lag behind the walls, freely separate from the bottom and form a crust on the walls of the pan, which means that it is ready. The consistency of polenta should be homogeneous and creamy.
7. Put the Italian delicacy on a cutting board, squared and cool.

Polenta is a versatile cornmeal dish that can be consumed both chilled and warm.

Polenta is considered a healthy product, as it has some health benefits. In this article, we will consider eight advantages of polenta, as well as methods for its preparation.

What is polenta?

Traditionally, polenta was associated with Italy and was used in various dishes of this country. However, now it is also often eaten in many parts of the world, including in various countries of Europe and the United States.

Polenta is made from yellow corn, which is ground into corn flour. Depending on the grinding, the polenta may be harder or softer. After grinding, the cornmeal is boiled in water, milk or broth.  Typically, the ratio for making polenta is 4 cups of liquid per 1 cup of cornmeal. When cooking, it acquires the consistency of thick porridge.

The traditional method of obtaining polenta involves stirring in a pot for about 40-50 minutesthat can be time consuming. For those who are looking for simpler cooking methods, polenta is sold as instant or instant cereal. This polenta is pre-cooked and dried before sale, so you can cook it in 5-10 minutes.

Fully cooked polenta is also available at grocery stores. It is usually sold in oblong packages, as it can be cut in solid form and then fried or baked.

The nutritional benefits of polenta

Some varieties of polenta are fortified to enhance nutritional value. Making polenta in milk instead of water can add valuable nutrients.

Source of fiber and protein

Polenta contains both protein and fibertherefore quickly saturates the body. Fiber helps maintain the proper functioning of the digestive system, promotes the growth of healthy intestinal bacteria and prevents constipation.

Gluten free

For people who eat gluten-free dishes, polenta is a good option.  Many sources of fiber, such as wheat, couscous, and rye,

Polenta is usually safe for people with or with sensitivity to gluten. However, it is worth checking the composition of the product, as it may contain additional ingredients.

Rich in complex carbohydrates

Polenta is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates.Simple carbohydrates break down quickly and can cause an increase in blood sugar. In addition, simple carbohydrates do not contain many nutrients. Cakes, cookies and white bread are prime examples of simple carbohydrates.

Complex carbohydrates in polenta are slowly destroyed, which means that the digestion process will take longer. This helps keep blood sugar level.

Contains Vitamin A

Although it does not contain large amounts of vitamins and minerals, polenta does contain vitamin A. According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin A is essential for the proper functioning of the kidneys, lungs, and heart.

Source of Carotenoids

Polenta consists of ground corn, which is a good source of carotenoids. Carotenoids are believed to reduce the risk of a number of diseases, such as some types of eye diseases and several types of cancer.

Low fat content

Polenta contains a small percentage of fat, so it can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. Those who want to reduce their intake of saturated fats, it is better to cook polenta in water, vegetable milk or broth  instead of animal milk, and do not add cheese or butter.

Contains Essential Minerals

Iron, magnesium and zinc are essential minerals.  Despite the fact that the polenta contains not so many of these useful elements, they are still there, so the dish will fit perfectly into any diet.

Low calorie

Polenta - a low-calorie productlike other whole grains that are cooked on water. It provides about 70 calories per 100 g of the prepared portion.

Nutritious, whole foods that are low in calories, such as polenta, can be a good choice for people who want to lose weight or keep it healthy.

How to cook polenta?

Polenta has a mild flavor of corn, which makes it a good base for adding herbs, vegetables or cheese. It can be used as a side dish and eat with fish or meat.

Although the polenta has a consistency similar to porridge, when cooked, if it is cooled, it will become hard enough to be chopped. Polenta slices can be cooked on the grill or in the oven with various fillings, including cheese or sauces.

Raw polenta can also be used with cakes and bread instead of some types of flour. Using polenta in baking can add nutritional value and a moist texture to the dish.

Polenta can be eaten during brunch or as a side dish, for example, with cabbage, mushrooms and tomato sauce,  or use instead of pizza dough.

Italian cuisine is rich in interesting, tasty and uncomplicated dishes. One of these is polenta. Recipes for its preparation are known since when the dish was still considered the food of the poor. This is not surprising, since the classic set of products is very simple: corn grits, water and salt. Let's look at the original polenta recipes.

Classical polenta

Recipes always have a basis. For polenta, the basis is Whatever the additional ingredients, the polenta itself will have to be baked first. Use a pan with a thick bottom or a cauldron. Bring water to a boil, salt. Slowly pour the cereal and stir. Set the fire to maximum, this will help prevent the formation of lumps. After you fill the cereal, turn down the gas. Boil for half an hour. Do not forget to mix the polenta. It should thicken and begin to lag behind the walls of the pan. After that, put the finished porridge on a dish - let it cool. Then the polenta is cut into portions.

Mushroom polenta

The recipes of this polenta are plentiful. It can be done with any mushrooms: ceps, champignons, mushrooms. with chanterelles. The basis is already cooked polenta. For the sauce you need to take it: fresh or canned tomatoes, chanterelles, champignons, mozzarella, cream and onions, seasonings. In a pan in olive oil, spasser onion and garlic, previously chopped. Add chopped mushrooms, tomatoes, saffron. Salt, pepper. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. After the pan has been removed from the heat, add parsley and thyme. Cut the finished polenta into pieces. Anoint the mold with butter, put the polenta in it, and slices and ready-made mushroom stew on it. In the oven, hold the dish at 200 degrees for 20 minutes. After the specified time, the dish will be ready.

Polenta - recipe with minced meat

Make a hearty and tasty meat polenta. To do this, take ground beef, butter, onions, parmesan, seasonings. Melt the butter. Fry the onion and minced meat in it. Add salsa, a small amount of water and simmer for a few minutes. Put melted butter in the mold, chop the pieces of polenta on it, sprinkle with parmesan on top, lay out a layer of meat filling, followed by a layer of polenta, cheese, and again minced meat. The top layer can be any. It must be sprinkled with cheese and pour melted butter. In the oven, the cake will stand for half an hour at a temperature of 150 degrees.

Polenta with squid

For this dish you will need squid, green peas, tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, capers, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper and cooked polenta. Seafood recipes can be changed by adding certain types of ingredients. This list of products can be supplemented, for example, with shrimp. Fry large pieces of garlic, peeled and chopped squid (shrimp) in a pan, pour a glass of white wine, evaporate. Add the tomatoes. They should be freed from the skin and cut into small pieces. Stew for 20 minutes. Throw garlic, add greens (parsley, dill), peas and capers. Hold for a few more minutes, add to the hot polenta.

Sweet and spicy, hot and cold - in any form, a good polenta. The recipe with a photo clearly demonstrates what a ready-made dish can be if you show a little imagination.

They say about the famous Italian dish called "polenta" that it can be transformed like Cinderella in the tale of Charles Perrault: in the afternoon it is a simple rustic dish, in the evening - an exquisite culinary masterpiece. The main thing in it is cornmeal. The key to success is compliance with the technology of working with this product, which is not the most usual for Russians, and, of course, a creative approach.

So what is polenta, what kind of cereal is used in its preparation, and how to cook an Italian corn meal dish at home?

A bit of history

The idea belongs to the ancient Romans.  - it was they who began to cook porridge "pulse", which later became the prototype of polenta.

The difference between the two dishes is that the pulse was cooked from millet, chickpea, barley, and polenta - from corn,  which became available to Europeans only at the end of the 16th century, when its grains were brought to the Old World from America.

For a long time it was food for the poor  - wandering monks, peasants. It was cooked in a large copper pot, carefully mixing, so that, having thickened, the porridge did not drain from the wooden stirring shovel.

Later, other products began to be added to corn.  (seafood, cheese, vegetables, mushrooms) - and the food of the poor migrated to the tables of wealthy citizens. Today it is cooked in home kitchens, in restaurants, taverns.

This is an independent dish with various additives or a side dish. It can be hard or soft, intended for first and second courses or desserts (in this case sugar is added to it).

Among modern varieties - instant polenta, the basis for which is produced industrially by steaming and then drying the crushed grains. Such a semi-finished product is cooked for only two minutes.

On the pages of our site you will also find out - another traditional dish of Italian cuisine!

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In the following review we will tell the recipe for the famous Italian minestrone vegetable soup:.

Traditions of eating cereals from corn grits, its benefits and harms

Polenta in its pure form is most often prepared at home for breakfast.. One of the traditional options is to cut it into slices and eat it by dipping a cappuccino in a cup.

In a cafe it is usually served (as a main course) with saucewhose options are a great many. Fish dishes, as well as Italian classic Osso Buco - meat stewed in wine, cannot do without polenta (already in garnish status).

Very often, cut into slices polenta replaces Italians bread or (in this case, it is supplemented with truffle butter and cheese).

She is good cold and hot  (this option in Italy is considered traditional winter food), grainy in structure and tender, like cream.

When using this product at dinner, it is advisable to limit the portion, since it is high-calorie: in 100 g of Italian corn "porridge" - 330 kcal.

How to cook at home

There are a lot of ways to cook this dish.

So that it, regardless of the recipe, is tasty, you need to know a few rules about how to cook polenta:

• traditional ratio of components  - 1 part of cornmeal to 3 parts of water (it is changed depending on what density the product needs to be obtained in the end);
• cooking time on low heat - from 40 to 50 minutes;
• if corn flour is replaced with cereal, which is allowed, the cooking time is reduced to 20-25 minutes;
• stir constantly with a long wooden spoon;
• cookware is needed thick-walled (for example, cast iron).

How to choose ingredients in the store

Even without the high-quality flour, delicious food will not work even for the most experienced housewife. The secret of corn flour is that during the cooking process, the starch particles dissolve and the finished “porridge” even visually looks creamy, smooth, and how much it tastes good can be found in its many fans.

What happens if the flour is of poor quality, cheap or fake? Large particles do not dissolve completely, creating a feeling of “sand in the mouth”.

To avoid such troubles, you need to buy the product in large stores collaborating with reliable manufacturers, and if you're lucky, get real Italian flour.

The word "bramata" on the label means - coarse flour, "stone-ground" - that it is ground with stone millstones, thanks to which all its useful properties are preserved in the product.

The classic recipe for cooking

In this recipe, one and a half glasses of water per half a glass of flour are based on the ratio.

In hot, but still unboiling water, carefully, in small portions, pour flourstirring the contents of the pan. Salt to taste. Cook, continuing to stir, for half an hour.

The following signs indicate readiness:  the mass will be well separated from the walls and bottom, and where it comes in contact with hot surfaces, crusts form.

It is allowed (if the density of the product seems excessive) to add a small amount of hot water from the kettle. After this, cooking continues.

Spread the finished mass on the board and wait until it cools down, cut into slices  or give it some other necessary form.

With cheese

The recipe differs from the classic one in that, having removed the pan from the finished meal from the fire, additional components are introduced into it.

If the preparation of “porridge” took 2.5 cups of flour and 9 cups of water, then for an additive you need to take:

• parmesan cheese grated - one and a half cups;
• milk - one and a half cups;
• butter - 10 tablespoons;
• finely chopped parsley.

Complementary products should be at room temperature.  When they are placed in corn porridge and mixed, the butter and cheese should melt.

In milk

Polenta is cooked according to the classic recipe.. Then it is transferred to a wet board. It is leveled and cut into pieces. You can use the molds if you want the dish to turn out more original.

Pieces of "porridge" are laid out on plates and poured with hot milk.

With mushrooms

The corn mass prepared according to the classical recipe is transferred to a baking sheet, its layer should not be thicker than one centimeter.

Onions and mushrooms are fried in a separate frying pan, two minutes before cooking, add a little garlic, pour ¾ cup dry wine and stew. During this time, most of the alcohol should boil away.

Melted butter is added to a small portion of the flour and mixeduntil the mass becomes homogeneous and resembles a paste in consistency. It is added to mushrooms. A handful of finely chopped parsley is poured there.

Polenta is cut into small squares, put on each warm mushroom stew and served on the table.

In a slow cooker

In a slow cooker, many housewives with pleasure cook porridge - they do not need to be closely monitored so that they do not run away, and constantly stir. Italian food is also quite easy to cook in a slow cooker.

The same ingredients are placed in the bowl as in the classic recipe., mix so that there are no lumps, cook in the "cooking - porridge" mode for 40 minutes. If you need to set the temperature, choose 90 degrees.

After a signal of completion of work, the contents of the bowl should be mixed and transferred to a bowlin which it cools down a bit and then knock over onto a board and cut.

Polenta as if created for creative people who like to add something unusual to the classic recipe. So alternatives are born. Here are some of them.

With pumpkin

It is well made from pear squash.

To prepare this dish you will need:

• instant polenta - 2 cups,
• pumpkin - 700 g
• water - 2.5 l
• hard cheese - 1.5 cups,
• butter and olive oil.

A wide portion of the vegetable is baked in the oven and mashed in puree.  A narrow part of the pumpkin is cut into slices and laid out on two baking sheets, covered with foil and sent to the oven.

Instant polenta is cooked in a large pan. At the final stage, pumpkin puree, butter and grated cheese are introduced into it. Fill a baking dish with this mass, smooth and cover with a layer of pumpkin slices, placing them like fish scales.

Put a little butter on top, sprinkle with grated cheese,  sent for a quarter of an hour in the oven.

With spinach

This dish requires:

• polenta - 1 cup,
• spinach - 450 g
• cheese - 110 g
• garlic,
• olive oil.

This recipe also uses instant polenta.  Having welded, fill it with a glass baking dish. Separately, spinach with a small amount of garlic is stewed in a pan. And slices of cheese are fried on the grill, a crisp should form on either side.

Polenta is the name of an Italian dish, but there are also many analogues. For example, in Transcarpathia they like to cook banosh, in Romania - mamalygu, in Georgia - gomi, and in Serbia - kachamak.

Polenta can be eaten as a side dish or an independent dish with various fillings (honey and dried fruits, mushrooms, eggplant, tomatoes, meat, fish and shrimp seafood).

The dish can be consumed cold and hot, it is fried, baked and even cooked in a slow cooker, and in Italy, polenta is often used as bread.

Essential Ingredients:

To prepare a classic polenta you will need: corn grits, water or broth, butter and hard cheese.

• If you want to avoid lumps, it is recommended to slowly pour corn grits into boiling water or broth and stir constantly. You can also pour the cereal into cold water, vigorously beat and bring to a boil. If the lumps turned out, you can get rid of them with a hand blender.
• Polenta is ready if it starts to lag behind the walls of the pan.
• To make the polenta soft, it is recommended to put it in a bowl moistened with cold water, let it stand for 10 minutes, then put it on a plate. In this case, the dish will be very soft.
• You can get a thick polenta if you put the cooked corn porridge on a baking sheet, let it cool, and then cut into squares and fry.
• Polenta can be cut into even pieces using a pizza knife or a regular one, but after dipping it in hot water.

Utensils for making polenta

Historical technology involves the use of copper utensils for preparing polenta. In the modern world, you can give preference to a pan with a thick bottom, a frying pan with a non-stick coating or a slow cooker. It is recommended to stir the porridge with a wooden spoon.

How to combine polenta

The classic version of polenta is with cheese, as well as butter or olive oil. You can also experiment and cook with a variety of vegetables, such as tomatoes, broccoli and mushrooms. Combine with meat and fish.

Grain Quality

The taste of polenta depends on the quality of corn grits. The dish should be soft, smooth and creamy. This effect can only be achieved with high-quality cereals.

For example, corn groats TM "Zhmenka"  made from special selected varieties of sweet corn, does not contain stalks (white slices of head of corn), because it is produced by the process of cutting corn kernels from a head of cabbage and thoroughly grinding, so the polenta always turns out to be tasty and tender.

Advice from the reader Katerina Gutnik:

I share my recipe for polenta
Take: corn flour - 400 g, water - 1.6 l, olive oil - 1 tbsp. and salt.

To prepare polenta, you need to put a pot of water on a strong fire and bring to a boil. Then add not a full spoonful of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Then very slowly, so as not to cause the formation of lumps, sprinkle cornmeal and mix well with a wooden spoon. The more polenta is prepared, the tastier it is. After cooking, hot polenta is served on a traditional wooden cutting board, already sliced.

Very tasty cooks polenta, baked with cheese, my friend from Italy:
In addition to the cooked polenta, you will need: Gorgonzola cheese - 400 g, Parmesan cheese - 40 g and 100 g butter.

The baking dish should be greased with butter and cover the bottom with a layer of half a soft polenta. Then put slices of gorgonzola, parmesan and small cubes of butter. Cover with another layer of polenta, slices of gorgonzola and grated parmesan. Bake the polenta with cheese in an oven preheated to 180 ° for about 15-20 minutes.

Step by step recipe for polenta with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes:

TM "Zhmenka" corn groats - 1.5 cups
Mushrooms - 300 g
Tomatoes - 200 g
Vegetable broth - 4 glasses
Cream - 0.5 cups
Onions - 2 pcs.
Garlic - 2 cloves
Hard cheese - 100 g
Chicken Egg - 1 pc.
Olive oil, salt, pepper mixture, basil, oregano

1.   We carefully wash the corn grits. In order to make the polenta tasty, it is recommended to use 3 parts of water and 1 part of corn grits.
2.   In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and spread the chopped onion. Fry for 3 minutes and pour in the broth. Let it simmer for about 4 minutes.
3.   In a pan, fry mushrooms and tomatoes, cut into large pieces. Add garlic, salt and ground pepper mixture. Fry for another 2-3 minutes.
4.   In a saucepan with broth and onions, add basil and oregano, as well as pour corn grits, reduce heat and constantly stir so that there are no lumps. After 3 minutes, pour in the cream. Cook for another 15 minutes, actively interfering! Then add the cheese grated on a coarse grater. Salt and pepper. The polenta should be well behind the pan walls. Next, put the porridge on a baking sheet and send it to bake for 10 minutes in the oven at a temperature of 180 degrees.
5. We take the polenta from the oven, let it cool, and then cut into squares (or circles), and spread the mixture of mushrooms and tomatoes on top. You can decorate with fresh basil leaves and poached egg (boil water, add 1 tablespoon vinegar, break the egg into a plate. Stir the water with a wooden spoon, creating a funnel and pour the egg into it. Cook for 4-5 minutes)

Advice from the reader Svetlana Chernysh:

Polenta is a favorite dish of Italians. I tried several times to cook polenta. I will share my secrets. I grind corn grits in a coffee grinder to get corn flour!

Polenta with chicken and mushroom sauce

You need to take: chicken fillet - 4 pcs., Champignons - 500g., A clove of garlic, dry white wine - 125 ml., Corn flour -1.5 cups (made in a coffee grinder), water - 100 ml., Butter - 3 tbsp. l., herbs, salt, pepper.

We boil water, salt and add corn flour, stirring constantly for 20-30 minutes. The polenta should become viscous and uniform. We spread the cooked polenta on a large plate and give it a shape.
Salt the chicken fillet, pepper and fry in oil. Fry mushrooms separately, add garlic and salt. Add wine to the mushrooms when it evaporates, add broth or water. Then fried chicken fillet. Stew until tender, the sauce is ready! We pour them polenta, decorate the dish with herbs, as well as grated cheese. Bon Appetit! Very satisfying and tasty!