Polenta, that mild-in-flavor cornmeal that hails from Italy, hasn’t but skilled the common acceptance of different starchy sides equivalent to mashed potatoes.
So when you’re questioning when you ought to simply serve polenta as a porridge, right here’s a plethora of serving inspiration from Italian Meals Community chef Giada De Laurentiis.
De Laurentiis says polenta is rather like mashed potatoes
In her cookbook On a regular basis Italian, De Laurentiis spells out what polenta really is.
“Polenta is cornmeal (dried ground corn) cooked in a liquid until it swells,” she writes. “It’s Italy’s version of mashed potatoes.”
And the aspect dish goes with something, the chef provides, together with “meats or stews, or polenta can be fried into sticks and dipped in marinara sauce, or baked and topped with all sorts of sauces; there are so many great ways to serve it. … It’s the perfect side to accompany a delicious, long-simmered stew. Or you can serve this basic recipe topped with your favorite sauce: I’m partial to bolognese.”
De Laurentiis revealed that she at occasions takes a shortcut with her homemade polenta, for good purpose: ” … the standard cooking technique takes some muscle as a result of you want to stir consistently for 30 to 40 minutes. In an effort to save time, I usually use on the spot polenta, which is partially cooked, that means half the work is already achieved for you.”
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The chef’s Fried Polenta recipe
De Laurentiis says in her e-book of her fried polenta: “Better than French Fries—and a great snack or appetizer. You can use other dipping sauces, but the simplicity of a good marinara is hard to beat here.”
Many reviewers of the Merely Giada star’s recipe praised how easy the dish is to make: “These were so good. I made them as suggested, then made a batch and sprinkled them with cinnamon and sugar instead of parmesan. You can get really creative with what you serve on them or dip them in. These didn’t last long and are kinda fun to make!”
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De Laurentiis’ Baked Polenta
For her Baked Polenta, the chef says she makes use of “instant polenta … because it works so well for my polenta party: I invite six friends over, and I cut the baked polenta into triangles and serve it with three different sauces: Simple Bolognese, Spicy Tomato Sauce, and Mushroom Ragú. My guests top the triangles with their choice of sauces, and there you have it: a new and easy way to entertain.”
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Her Tacky Polenta is a good swap from mashed potatoes
De Laurentiis says in her cookbook that her cheesy polenta is perfection when made with “the king of Italian blue cheese, Gorgonzola. It’s available in either sweet (dolce) or more tangy (piccante) versions and the choice is really up to you. If you have access to a good cheese counter, they’ll let you taste before you buy.”