Polenta

Polenta is a yellow maize or cornmeal grown in northern Italy and after first being prepared as a
rather thick porridge can be grilled, baked or fried. This recipe fries the polenta and it is then
served with a tomato relish and sprinkled with parmesan cheese, and used as a side dish. (This
recipe has been sourced from Great Vegetarian Dishes from around the world).

8 cups (2litres) water
2 teaspoons (10ml) salt
3 1/2 cups (875ml) cornmeal (polenta)
90g (3 ounces) butter
3 tablespoons (60ml) olive oil

1. Bring the water and salt to a boil in a 6-litre/quart saucepan over full heat. Gradually sprinkle
the cornmeal over the water, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Make sure that there are no
lumps of cornmeal.

2. Reduce the heat to low. Continue to stir the polenta mixture until it is very thick
(approximately 10 minutes).

3. Leave the polenta over low heat for about another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. It will be
ready to remove from the heat when a wooden spoon will stand upright in the centre of the mixture
and not drop to the side of the pan.

4. Spoon the mixture into an oiled 28cm x 18cm (7-inch x 11-inch) dish. Smooth out the mixture
and leave to cook at room temperature for at least 4 hours.

5. Carefully turn the slab of polenta out of the tin and cut it in half lengthways. Cut each half into
seven slices crossways, each one 4 cm (1 1/2-inches) wide.

6. Heat the butter and oil together in a heavy frying pan. When hot, add about 6 slabs of polenta
to the frying pan and reduce the heat to low. Fry gently until the polenta is dark golden brown on
each side.

Unfortunately this is all I have been able to find. If you like the polenta fried, or maybe grilled to
reduce the fat content, you could try serving it like bread with a rich tomato and borlotti or haricot
bean soup or stew or even as “croutons”.