Polenta is a delicious Italian dish made from corn four. Polenta is a traditional food in Italian cuisine, very similar to mamaliga and kachamak.
Polenta is particularly common in northern Italy and has been known since the 16th century, when corn was brought to Europe. In the beginning, it was a staple food of poor Italian peasants, but when they began to combine it with other products, it gained great popularity and began to be offered in luxury restaurants.
There are many different types of polenta, the most popular being that made from corn semolina that is boiled for only 2-3 minutes. Traditional polenta is made by mixing corn flour and hot water, then stirring it for a long time, or until it thickens enough for a spoon to sit upright in it. It is then placed on a tray, sliced and served.
Very often, after the polenta is boiled, it is baked in an oven and various products are added to it - mainly cheese and butter. Cut it into shapes and serve with salt (optional). Everyone can choose how to shape the polenta – into circles, strips, squares and all kinds of shapes. The polenta can also be fried, and then it becomes very nice and crunchy. Polenta is served both as a main dish in combination with meat or vegetables, and as a side dish.
Also check out our mouth-watering polenta recipes.
