Like many Americans, I grew up associating Italian meals with pasta and bread. The first time I traveled in northern Italy, I ate far more risotto and polenta.
Polenta is essentially coarsely ground grains, usually yellow cornmeal, cooked into a porridge. Any type of coarse-ground cornmeal cooked in this manner creates the desired effect, but packets that are labeled “polenta” usually contain flint corn milled in a specific way to produce the best consistency.
When cooked solely on the stovetop, polenta has a soft, mushy consistency. Stop there, and it can be served on its own as a porridge or as the base for meaty and other hearty sauces. I prefer to go one step further and bake it in the oven, where it transforms into a sturdy textured cornbread with a toasted taste. Baked polenta has even more uses: serve it as a side dish for a holiday or weeknight meal, snack on it, top it simply like bruschetta or bury it under a mound of chunky marinara or baked beans.
The cornmeal soaks up any flavor you add to it, so I like to cook it with Homemade Vegetable Stock or Corncob Stock rather than water. I use minimal salt when I make my homemade stocks, but in such a straightforward dish, a little extra enhances the other flavors – especially if you use unsalted butter. Store-bought vegetable stock can be quite salty, thick and heavy on the tomato flavor, so start with half stock and half water, skip the added salt and taste the porridge before you make adjustments.
The longer polenta chills, the better it holds together when cut. In summer, I leave off the cheese, brush the squares lightly with oil and then grill them for about five minutes per side before sprinkling on the cheese and serving.
Cheese-Topped Baked Polenta
Serves 4
3 cups vegetable stock or water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1 cup polenta
2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup freshly grated or torn mozzarella (optional)
In a medium saucepan, bring the stock and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the polenta in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Stir in the basil, oregano and 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, for seven to 10 minutes, until the polenta becomes thick.
Pour the polenta into a lightly oiled 9-inch square or round baking pan, and then smooth it into an even layer. Cool for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator, until firm.
Cut the cooled polenta into 2- to 3-inch squares or wedges and space them on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet. Dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the top. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until heated through. For further browning, slide the polenta under the broiler for about one minute, until golden.
Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger at TwiceAsTasty.com.