Winter 2006: > POLENTA

Polenta, most commonly known as cornmeal mush, is one of the major foods in the Italian Alps where food was simple and sometimes sparse. Although it came to Italy from Mexico in the 16th century, the origin of the word is far more ancient. It dates from Roman times and is derived from Roman puls, referring to flour milled from spelt or other grains, that was cooked in water until all of the water was absorbed. When it became the consistency of porridge, it was served with various sauces.

The polenta that most people are familiar with today is made from corn, but polenta can also be made with flour milled from spelt, emmer, millet, buckwheat, chestnut, chickpeas, or wheat berries. Once considered rustic food of the poor, cucina povera, its uses are now as refined and varied as the imaginations of modern day chefs.

TYPES OF CORNMEAL

Although many corn hybrids are grown in Italy the differences between one polenta and another depend largely on the coarseness or fineness of the grind and the freshness of the milled corn.

Yellow coarsely ground - bramata oro - is a rough, somewhat gritty polenta with a more pronounced corn flavor. I recommend it for all of the recipes provided here. Yellow fine ground is used to make a finer, smooth polenta with a pudding-like texture. Because of its texture, fine cornmeal thickens faster and is more prone to producing a lumpy polenta.

White cornmeal – is usually ground fine and produces a more delicate polenta, typical of the region of Il Veneto where it is served with baked or broiled fish.

Black polenta - polenta taragna - is made from ground buckwheat or a combination of ground corn and buckwheat. This polenta, a favorite in the region of Lombardia, has a unique and slightly bitter flavor.

“Instant” polenta – is partially cooked yellow polenta and depending on the brand, can be quite good.

“Cooked polenta in a tube/log” –cooked polenta in a vacuum tube should be left
on the store shelves.

HOW TO USE POLENTA

Italians serve polenta at least 100 ways, as an antipasto, a main course, a side dish or even breakfast. Unlike pasta it is not always served as a primo (first course). Polenta can be served as an antipasto with drinks when cut into small shapes, fried and served hot with chunks of Parmesan or cubes of mortadella. When slices are fried in oil or brushed with butter and grilled, they become crostini de polenta, delicious crunchy “toasts” which can be served with a tasty topping. As the secondo (main course), polenta is traditionally served on a wooden board topped with a rich meat or fish sauce/ragu. It can also be layered like lasagna and baked with cheeses, vegetables or a meat sauce. Sliced polenta is grilled or fried and served as an accompaniment to meat, game and fish. And don’t forget breakfast and my alternative to pancakes - fry polenta slices in butter until crisp and drizzle with maple syrup.

Basic soft hot polenta: Scoop with a spoon onto plates and top with butter and cheese, a sauce or stew, or vegetables. In the more traditional presentation, polenta would be scraped onto a wooden board, as is or topped with a hearty sauce or stew. When firm enough it can be cut with a knife or cut by sliding a sturdy string (unflavored dental floss) under the polenta, then lifting through it.

Baked polenta: Layer the cooked polenta in a casserole with cheese, cooked vegetables, or thick sauces and bake until bubbling.

Grilled or panfried polenta: Pour polenta into a wet or oiled baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm. Invert onto a cutting board and cut into desired shapes. To grill: brush both slices with OO and grill on both sides until heated through. To panfry: heat a small amount of OO or butter in a non-stick sauté pan, add the polenta slices and cook until golden brown and crispy.

POLENTA BASICS

TRADITIONAL METHOD

8 C. water
1 T. salt
1 1/2 C. coarse cornmeal

In a small saucepan bring 4 C. water with salt to a boil then keep at a simmer, covered over low heat as back up water.

In a large heavy saucepan, bring the remaining 4 C. water with salt to boil. While stirring with a wooden spoon or whisk, slowly add the cornmeal “a pioggia” falling like rain through your fingers into the salted water. The mixture should be smooth and thick and begin to bubble - “perk”. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue stirring until the mixture becomes too thick to stir. Add about a cup of the backup water and continue stirring until thick. Continue to do this until the polenta is tender, creamy and begins to come away from the sides of the pan, about 30-45min. Taste and season for salt.

N.B. Use oven mitts while stirring and be very careful of the perking bubbles, which could easily burn your arm.

Optional: the cooking liquid can be water, milk, broth or a combination.

COLD WATER METHOD

Add the cornmeal into the 4 C. of salted water in the heavy saucepan (not the back-up water), stir/whisk until smooth. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for about 10-15 minutes. From that point, follow the basic recipe, adding the backup water as described above.

MICROWAVE METHOD

Yes, by the time you bring the water to a boil for the traditional cooking method, microwave polenta could be almost halfway cooked. This is my most favorite method. The texture is just as creamy and smooth as in the traditional method and the taste - quite comparable.

7 C. water
salt (enough to make the water taste a bit salty)
1 2/3 C. cornmeal (coarse)

Put all the ingredients into a large microwave safe bowl. Cook on high power, stirring every 10 min. until thick and creamy.

Depending on the wattage of your microwave, the cooking time will vary from 30-45 min.

Optional: Over med-low heat sauté a chopped onion in OO/butter until translucent and soft. Stir this into the polenta water and cornmeal before cooking. The addition of the onions will sweeten the polenta.

OVEN METHOD

Long cooking definitely develops deeper corn flavor and this method pretty much eliminates all of the stirring. Whisk together 2 quarts of water, 2 C. cornmeal, salt and 2 T. butter, pouring it into a well-buttered deep baking dish. Bake it in a 350°F oven for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, give it a good stir, taste and adjust the seasoning, and continue to bake for 10 more minutes.

POLENTA CUNSA – POLENTA CONCIA – POLENTA GRASSA

Polenta concia or in dialect cunsa, from the northwest region of Piemonte, is translated as messed up polenta. Once you see the ingredients you can also understand why it is also called polenta grassa (fat). In this recipe cooked polenta is layered as in lasagne with fontina cheese, heavy cream, nutmeg and topped with sautéed mushrooms. Good honest Northern Italian – stick to the ribs and keep out the chill!

Polenta:

4 T butter
2 onions, chopped
7 C. milk
salt
1 2/3 C. coarsely ground cornmeal

Sauté onions until translucent, add milk and scald to boil. Prepare polenta as described previously.

1/2 lb. Fontina Valdostana
freshly grated nutmeg
heavy cream
1 lb. mushrooms – white or cremini button, or a mixture of
    portobello, shitake and button, quickly rinsed, trimmed and sliced
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 C. OO
S & P
butter

Soak the porcini mushrooms in warm water to cover for about 20 min. Remove the porcini from the water and dry. Do not drain in a sieve as the water will be sandy. Strain the water and reserve for another use.

Heat the OO in a large sauté pan, add the sliced fresh mushrooms and toss over high heat. Add S & P, cover the pan and cook for about 2 minutes to sweat the mushrooms. Remove the cover, and over high heat, evaporate the abundant water that came out of the mushrooms. This will intensify their flavor.

Layer a buttered baking dish with polenta. Top with S & P, nutmeg, heavy cream, and shredded or thin slices of Fontina. Continue to layer the polenta with S & P, nutmeg, cream and cheese to build about 3 layers. On the top layer spread the mushrooms, knobs of butter, more Fontina, S & P, nutmeg and heavy cream. Bake at 350°F. until bubbling. Serve hot.

Polenta Taragna

One of the most requested dishes in the Valtellina province of Lombardia is the Polenta Taragna. Depending to the area, it differs only in the use of the regional cheeses, with buckwheat-flour being the main ingredient.

The original Valtellina cuisine is very simple and was one that had to be prepared quickly, due to the hard work on the fields from early morning to sunset. Rye, corn, buckwheat, barley, millet, potatoes, nuts, chestnuts and cheese were the most available products. Buckwheat is not a cereal grain but is actually a fruit seed related to rhubarb. This makes it a great grain substitute for people sensitive to wheat or other grains that contain protein glutens. Small red and white buckwheat flowers produce a seed similar to a sunflower seed, with a hard outer shell and soft inner meat. This seed is ground to make the flour.

Although more a winter food, prepared with a lot of butter and cheese, polenta taragna is also enjoyed during the warm season. Served hot, the polenta taragna can be accompanied with thickly sliced salami, sautéed fresh pork sausages, with mushrooms and onions, sage leaves and garlic or with butter/OO and crushed anchovies.

Polenta taragna (mix of corn and buckwheat) can be purchased at the Salumeria Italiana, 151 Richmond St, Boston MA 02109 or www.salumeriaitalian.com

Ingredients for 4 persons:
1 C buckwheat flour
1/2 C coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
4 T butter
4 oz. Bitto cheese (or another semi-soft cheese such as
     Gruyere or Fontina), thinly sliced or chopped
5 C of cold water

In a heavy medium soup pot, bring the water and 2 T of butter to a boil. When the water boils, add salt and slowly and steadily stirring with a wooden spoon or whisk, add first the yellow corn flour and then the buckwheat flour. Reduce the heat, cook about 40 min or until the polenta is thick and creamy, stirring very often. Add more water as needed.

Remove the polenta from the heat. Stir in the remaining butter and the cheese. Return the polenta to the heat to melt all of the cheese, stirring constantly.

BUTTER/SAGE TOPPING

butter
fresh sage
garlic, coarsely chopped or sliced

Remove the sage leaves from the stems. Rinse and dry with a paper towel. Melt butter in a sauté pan, add the garlic and sage leaves. Cook over low heat until the garlic has softened (not burnt) and the butter has lightly browned.

Serve hot in a traditional style on a board, onto warmed plates, or bowls. Drizzle with the garlic sage butter.

INFARINATA

This unique Tuscan one dish meal, robust and very substantial, is typical of the Garfagnana valley behind the Apuan Alps, where the famous Carrara marble quarries are located. This hearty polenta is also called polenta incatenata, “polenta in chains” referring to the ribbons of shredded greens.

1 lb. fresh borlotti cranberry beans, in their shells or 1/2 C.
     dried beans, soaked in water to cover overnight
2 sage leaves
2 garlic cloves
2 pieces fresh pork rind (cotiche), about 2 x 2 in. or 2 T. OO
1 C. OO
2 oz. pork fat, finely chopped or 2 oz. pancetta
2 T. basil
2 T. rosemary leaves, chopped
2 T. parsley, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
1 small bunch kale, *cavolo nero, or Savoy cabbage, cored and shredded
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 C. yellow cornmeal, coarsely ground
broth or water
S & P
Parmigiano Reggiano or aged pecorino, grated

Shell the beans (or drain the soaked dried beans). Add the beans to a pot and cover with salted water to a depth of 1 inch. Add the sage, garlic, and pork rind, bring to a boil and then simmer, covered for about 20-30 min. or until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Discard the pork rind from the pan of beans. Reserve the beans in their cooking liquid.

Remove and discard the tough central ribs from the kale or cavolo nero. Cut the leaves into thin slivers – you should have 4 C., tightly packed. Rinse, drain and reserve.

Heat 1 T. of OO in a large soup pot and add the pork fat (or pancetta), carrots, onion, celery, basil, rosemary, and parsley and cook until the vegetables are soft but not brown. Now add the kale, the boiled beans with all of their liquid, the potatoes and the fennel seeds. Salt to taste. If the mixture is too dry add 1-2 C. boiling water or broth and simmer gently until the potatoes are tender. (The farinata may be prepared ahead of time up to this point, reheating before continuing the recipe, adding water if necessary.)

When ready to continue, add the cornmeal in a steady stream, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. If necessary, add a more boiling water/broth if the soup seems too thick. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for about 40 min., to make a thick porridgy soup.

The infarinata may be eaten immediately, either hot or lukewarm. Before serving drizzle OO over each serving (grated cheese optional).

Leftovers:
Like polenta, it hardens if left to cool, and in this case it is cut into slices and fried in OO.

Options:

a) Make the soup more liquid and serve hot with or over slices of toasted bread.
b) Use meat or vegetable broth instead of water.
c) Substitute garlic for the rosemary and basil.
d) In the summer add fresh ripe, peeled, seeded, chopped tomatoes.
e) In the autumn add fresh wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced.


*cavolo nero is a very dark green kale looking like a glossy, curly, puckered ostrich plume. It is also called Italian black cabbage, black kale, lacinato kale, dinosaur kale and combinations of these names. The entire central flat stem of each leaf must be cut out and removed; it will not soften with cooking.

POLENTA ALLA SPINATOIA

This is the traditional Abruzzese rustic polenta feast, typically shared on a cold winter day with family and friends. The polenta is poured onto a very large wooden or marble board on the dining table. The top is smoothed and indented a bit in the center. The host then pours the sauce over the polenta and arranges the whole sausage in the center. Everyone digs in with forks (or serving spoon), until they meet in the center to get to the sausage.

Such a substantial meal should not be preceded by an antipasto or a first course.

Sauce:

1/4 C. OO
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
optional: crushed, dried hot pepper
1 lb. Italian pork sausages (sweet or spicy), casings removed and
     crumbled, plus 1 whole spicy sausage casing on and pierced
6-8 pork ribs cut in half, giving 12-16 pieces
3/4 C. dry red wine
2 cans peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped, reserving 1 C. juice
     (or 2 lb. peeled, coarsely chopped plum tomatoes)
2 T. tomato paste
S & P
2 T. chopped parsley
Parmigiano Reggiano and or Pecorino Romano, grated

Heat the OO in a large saucepan and sauté the onions, celery, carrot and garlic and optional hot pepper until lightly colored. Reduce the heat and add the crumbled sausage meat.

Separately in a large sauté pan (do not use a non-stick pan), cook the ribs and the single sausage until browned, season with S & P. Add the cooked ribs and sausage to the large saucepan with the cooked vegetables and sausage meat. Pour in the red wine and let it evaporate over high heat.

Add the tomatoes with the juice or 1 C. hot water and the tomato paste. Season with S & P. Reduce the heat to med-low, cover the pan and let the mixture cook for about 30 min. until the sauce has reduced. If the sauce has not thickened after 30 minutes, uncover the pan and simmer slowly until the sauce has reduced. Season the sauce with S & P, stir in the parsley and keep warm.

Prepare the polenta while the sauce is cooking.

Pour the sauce over cooked polenta as described above. Dust with grated cheese.

DOLCE DI POLENTA

This rustic hearth cake is a variation of a cake called Zaletti, a specialty of Treviso. It is most tasty served warm with a dollop or two of fresh whipped cream. Hopefully there will be some leftover to warm in the microwave for breakfast.

1 C. coarse corn meal
2 C. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. butter

1 lb. ricotta, drained overnight in the refrigerator,
     in a cheesecloth lined strainer over a bowl
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. raisins, plumped in rum, drained
grated rind of 1 lemon
pinch cinnamon
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 C. slivered almonds, toasted in butter
1/4 C. chocolate bits
powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bring the milk to a boil and add the corn meal in a steady thin stream. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon. When all the corn meal has been absorbed, add the salt and the butter. Continue to stir for about 15 more min., until it pulls away from the pan. Remove from the heat.

Combine the ricotta and the sugar in a large bowl and mix very well with a wooden spoon. Add the polenta to the ricotta mixture, stir until smooth. Add the drained raisins, lemon rind and cinnamon. Mix well. Add the eggs individually, mixing thoroughly. When cool, add the almonds and chocolate.

Butter a loaf pan. Transfer the batter to the pan, level off and bake for about 50-60 min. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 30 min. Unmold and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of rum flavored sweetened whipped cream.

Optional additions to the batter:

pignoli nuts instead of almonds
1/2 C. dried figs cut into 1/4 in. pieces
1 T. fennel seeds
chopped, candied orange rind, lemon rind or citron