Polenta Recipe

by Acefitness.org

Polenta is made with ground yellow or white cornmeal- ground maize. It can be ground coarsely or finely depending on the region and the texture desired.

As it is known today, polenta derives from earlier forms of grain mush known as puls or pulmentum in Latin or more commonly as gruel or porridge commonly eaten in Roman times and after.


Cheesy Polenta and Egg Casserole

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

4 cups water, plus more as needed

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 ounces Italian turkey sausage, casing removed

1/2 cup shredded fontina, or mozzarella

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided

6 large eggs


Preparation:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk cornmeal into the boiling water.

• Add salt and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the polenta bubbles, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking frequently, until very thick, 10 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, once the polenta comes to a boil, transfer it to the top of a double boiler, cover, and place over barely simmering water for 25 minutes. This is convenient, because you don’t need to stir it as it cooks.)

• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add sausage. Cook, stirring and breaking the sausage into small pieces with a spoon, until lightly browned and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Drain if necessary and transfer to a cutting board; let cool. Finely chop when cool enough to handle.


• Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

• When the polenta is done, stir in fontina (or mozzarella) and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. If the polenta seems too stiff, add small amounts of water to thin it to a thick but not stiff consistency. Spread the polenta in the prepared pan.

• Make six 2-inch-wide indentations in the polenta with the back of a tablespoon. Break eggs, one at a time, into a custard cup and slip one into each indentation. Scatter the sausage on the polenta and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly on top of the eggs.

• Bake the casserole for 15 minutes. Then broil until the egg whites are set, 2 to 4 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.


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Original Polenta Recipe