{"id":5689,"date":"2024-01-07T14:04:54","date_gmt":"2024-01-07T14:04:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/creamy-polenta\/"},"modified":"2024-01-07T14:04:54","modified_gmt":"2024-01-07T14:04:54","slug":"creamy-polenta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/creamy-polenta\/","title":{"rendered":"Creamy Polenta"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cooking polenta in modern times doesn\u2019t have much in common with the way it was prepared for centuries in the regions that now make up Northern Italy. Polenta was traditionally cooked on a grand scale in copper cauldrons over open fire. There was a lot of stirring, ladling, and creative, resourceful uses of leftovers. Historically it was considered one of the humblest foods and when I came across this line about polenta in Honey From a Weed<\/a><\/em> by Patience Gray (1986), it stuck with me. \u201cThe idea of polenta, planted firmly in the north Italian imagination, is the antithesis of modern aspirations. It therefore intrudes on modern life like a vague emotional regret.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"creamy<\/p>\n

But, polenta is wonderful. And similar to other foods that were cast off in exchange for industrialized, refined counterparts – brown rice, naturally leavened breads, etc. \u2014 many people find their way back to the \u201cold ways\u201d eventually.<\/p>\n

What is Polenta?<\/h2>\n

Think of polenta as a cornmeal porridge of sorts. In The Classic Italian Cook Book<\/a><\/em> (1973), Marcella Hazan asserts the importance of polenta by saying, \u201c\u2026to call polenta<\/i> a cornmeal mush is a most indelicate use of language. In country kitchens, polenta<\/i> was more than food, it was a rite. It was made daily in an unlined copper kettle, the paiolo<\/i>, which was always kept hanging at the ready on a hook in the center of the fireplace.\u201d She goes on to describe a wonderful scene where, “\u2026there was a moment of joy as it [polenta] was poured out in a steaming golden circle on the beechwood top of the madia<\/i>…\u201d<\/p>\n

About This Polenta Recipe<\/h2>\n

Polenta is a regular preparation in my kitchen, and it can be cooked a number of ways. Not just in a cauldron lol.\u00a0 <\/span>I jump back and forth between stovetop polenta and oven-baked polenta depending on a number of factors. Today I\u2019m going to talk through my technique for making beautifully creamy polenta on the stovetop. We\u2019ll get to the oven-baked version in a future post. That one is great if you just want to combine ingredients in a baking dish, push it into the oven, and forget about it until the timer goes off. But it’s not as creamy. In either case, the ingredient list is short, and most of your attention should be focused on sourcing some great cornmeal \/ polenta. Beyond that, a bit of patience, and technique is all you need. I love it served topped generously with this mushroom rag\u00f9<\/a> as you’ll see down below.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"two<\/p>\n

Which Polenta (a.k.a. cornmeal or grits) Should I Use?<\/h2>\n

Look for stone-ground, whole grain, whole kernel polenta without any additives – preferably organic. Store-bought, quick-cooking, refined polenta is the starchy endosperm of the corn kernel, and much of the flavor from the bran and germ is stripped out in the milling process. These are a few favorites to look for.<\/p>\n