You know polenta—savory golden cornmeal mush?
Dare I say cornmeal mush from Italy is extra delicious?
I’ve found polenta a side dish ideal equally for family suppers and for guests. Handsome, versatile, inexpensive, foolproof. Dependable.
Traditionally, cooking polenta was a nuisance…bringing water in a pot to a boil, sprinkling in the cornmeal, stirring every few minutes until thick—watching for lumps!—a long half-hour. Standing before the stove and stirring for half an hour is half an hour I don’t have time for anymore.
I don’t have to. Years ago at the market, Lady Luck guided my hand to Golden Pheasant Polenta—a California product. On the back of the handsome package I was thrilled to discover the recipe, “Enrico’s Easy Polenta.” Polenta baked in the oven. Fantastico!
I preheated the toaster oven, buttered a shallow baking dish, poured in the cornmeal, added water, stirred with a fork to blend, baked uncovered 50 minutes, stirred briefly again, and baked 10 minutes more.
Eccolo! It was ready for its mantle of grated cheese or slosh of tomato sauce or lid of sauteed mushrooms…or or or.
So beautiful, so creamy-delicious with a golden lightly crisp top…
I’ve since made it a step easier…
No need to measure the water.
The shortcut is my baking dish. That’s because the shallow ceramic baking dish I chose holds 4 cups.* Thus to the 1 cup cornmeal, at the sink I gently stream in cool water to fill the dish nearly to the rim—and it’s Enrico’s requisite 3-1/4 cups.
Of course if you want to make a larger amount of polenta, use a larger dish or pan: the formula is 3 to 4 or even 5 parts water to 1 part medium-coarse grains. The leeway in water is how thick you want your finished polenta and how long you don’t mind cooking it. I’ve never done it, but I understand that if you use more water and cook it longer, it’s super creamy. One day.
I like to jumpstart the baking by preheating my toaster oven to 375o then after setting the dish in the oven and closing the door, turning the temperature down to the requisite 350o. Of course I can use my standard oven, but both are electric, and I read the toaster oven uses one-third to one-half less energy…
Sometimes when I’ve not had the Golden Pheasant package on hand and couldn’t remember the temperature, I’ve baked at 375o and that worked fine, too. The little grains are not fussy. Bless their golden hearts.
.Enrico says this much serves six. Ha. I guess that’s six servings because we three easily polish it off, having seconds. On the nights Cameron is out with friends, I refrigerate the dish and in the morning sauté leftover dollops in a little butter for breakfast. Yum.
Can you use any medium-coarse cornmeal to make great polenta?
Maybe. But there are several superb American grainsmen that offer cornmeal labeled “Polenta” so why experiment?
For the ultimate, I’ve read that in northern Italy where polenta reigns supreme it’s made with a heritage variety of corn called Otto File, Eight-Row Flint. By heritage I’m referring to the fact that Otto File corn is an American maize…yes! Remember it was Cristoforo Colombo who carried corn from native Americans to Spain…from Spain it traveled throughout Europe.
On their cobs, dry kernels of Eight-Row Flint are a knee-weakening golden orange. If you are in a position to grow corn, oh! do grow some rows of it. Seeds are available online**. Then you can dry and grind it and make your own heritage polenta meal.
I might just do that this year. Just to know that I’ll be cooking with corn that came from Italy that came from America will delight me to pieces.
Che bello!
Superb Oven-Baked Polenta after Enrico’s (4 to 6 servings)
About 2 tablespoons soft butter (whatever you spread on your toast)
1 cup polenta (medium-coarse-ground corn meal, best quality)
Hefty pinch flaked salt
3-1/4 to 5 cups cool water
Set the oven to 375o or 350o, rack in the middle. Butter a shallow 4-cup or up to 8-cup baking dish. Add 1 cup polenta meal and salt. Pour over the water—about 3-1/4 cups for quickest cooking, more for longer cooking and softer texture.
Use a fork to blend thoroughly. Set in the oven uncovered. Close the oven door, if at 375o, turn heat to 350o .Set timer for 50 minutes…then stir to blend well…bake 10 minutes more.
Serve.
May be prepared a day or two in advance if brushed with soft butter on top, covered airtight, and refrigerated.
*Enrico calls for an 8-inch square pan which holds 8 cups.
**I’ve not had experience with them, but Hudson Valley Seed Company offers it. https://hudsonvalleyseed.com/products/otto-file-flint-corn
