Carlo Middione's Polenta Facile
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Author Notes: This is a no-nonsense polenta technique familiar to Italian restaurant kitchens everywhere -- perfect for a dinner party, or anytime you want to get cooking well before dinner time and go about your business. Best of all: the longer it sits, the better it gets. Any bitterness fades; every gritty grain swells and turns to cream. You can make it with stock, or add milk or cream or cheese, but even straight water polenta will taste better than it has a right to. Adapted slightly from The Foods of Southern Italy (William Morrow, 1987). - Genius Recipes
Serves 8
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 cups polenta (not instant)
- Using only the top half of a double boiler, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, and add salt. Meanwhile, put as much water in the bottom half of the double boiler as will be needed to actually cover the bottom of the top part of the double boiler when it is finally put in, and bring to a heavy simmer. (Note: If you don't have a double boiler, you can use a large pot with a slightly smaller bowl or pot set inside it.)
- Put the polenta in a measuring cup from which you can pour it. With a slender but sturdy wooden spoon or a medium-strength whisk, create a vortex in the water in the top half of the double boiler by swirling it in one direction only. This is critical because, if you simply slosh the water around, you create lumps in the polenta that are almost impossible to remove. (If you do get lumps, don't worry -- just mash them against the side of the pot now.)
- While the water is swirling in a vortex, drizzle in the polenta a pioggia (like it is raining). You can do this very rapidly, but do not stop stirring. When all the polenta is in, continue to stir but not so energetically. Keep stirring the whole time, being sure to scrape into the corners of the pot where the sides meet the bottom. Lower the heat so that the polenta intermittently bubbles on the surface and "spits" at you.
- Continue to stir the polenta for about 5 minutes. When the polenta begins to thicken, place the lid on the pan, and fit it into the bottom half of the double boiler (with the simmering water below reaching up as high as possible underneath the top piece). If you don't have a well-fitting lid, seal with foil. Cook for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so. Taste for doneness. The polenta should be very yellow, smooth, shiny, and sweet tasting. If it is slightly bitter, cook it longer.
- Polenta facile can be held in a slowly simmering double boiler in perfect condition for up to 4 hours. This makes it ideal for large parties or when you simply do not want too many last-minute dishes to worry about.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
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10 days ago ashley's brain
This made me hungry for polenta. Inspired, I tried making it in my Sanyo rice cooker on the 'porridge' setting. Used this same ratio of liquid to polenta. Used half whole milk, half water; added about 2 Tbs butter. Added everything cold, stirred to mix, and started it. I did give it a stir after about 45ish minutes to make sure it was all mixed & smooth.
Marvelous!! Creamy and soft, and no muss and no fuss. Plus it automatically held on the 'Keep warm' setting. If you have a rice cooker with a porridge setting, give it a shot.
about 1 month ago mboerner
Being lazy, I use the microwave: 5 c. water for each cup of good cornmeal; put in water; pour in cornmeal; whisk with wire wisk; cook cover at high power in microwave for 30 minutes; stir again with wisk; cook 30 minutes at low power in microwave. Voila, perfect polenta. But use only Arizona Mills or other excellent cornmeal.
about 1 month ago shirleyanne smedley
anyone got any more info on the Wonder Bag?
2 months ago mbr101
soooo, I continue to learn not to assume... ;) lol
3 months ago mcs3000
Must try this. Love polenta.
3 months ago Herself
I follow Martha Rose Shulman's directions for cooking polenta in the oven. Works like a charm.
3 months ago TheWimpyVegetarian
I mean caused HIM to lose his sense of taste :-)!!
3 months ago TheWimpyVegetarian
I love the note below on the Wonder Bag and want one now. And this is a great, great way to do polenta. I was lucky enough to be in classes in school that Carlo taught on Italian food before his car accident (which caused me to lose his sense of taste). He is a gentle soul as well as brilliant.
3 months ago Lesliebling
The Wonder Bag info is fascinating! I wonder if we all shouldn't consider ways to cook with less energy...
3 months ago lemons
Whisks always leave me with corners of the pan untouched. I use a wooden spatula for most of my wooden spoon-type work, much better at reaching the corners.
3 months ago duckfat
After you whisk the polenta give the sides of your pot a good stir with your spoon et voila, no lumps.
3 months ago walkie74
Anybody got any idea if the slow cooker idea works? It'd make a hell of a breakfast in the morning, if it did...
3 months ago SBKSB
I've also read a recipe--Lidia Bastianich, maybe?-- for starting the polenta in cold water, which prevents lumping, and then bringing it to a boil. Seems to work--why isn't it recommended here, I wonder?
3 months ago Twixen
Agree with Duckfat....I've always used a whisk at first when adding polenta to water and I don't remember ever seeing lumpy polenta, didn't realize people even had this problem with polenta :-).
3 months ago Tokyo Yum
How about putting the pot into a water bath in the oven - if it is 1 1/2 hours? Has any body tried that?
3 months ago Cutie
I always add the polenta to COLD water and then bring it to a boil and Never get lumps!
3 months ago JRG
Intriguing! And if you did it early in the evening, you could have toasty toes at bedtime... MOre seriously, it seems that one could also do this in a crockpot AKA slow cooker.
3 months ago JRG
Intriguing. And it you did this at bedtime, you could have toasty toes too! More seriously, I am wondering if you could do this in a crock pot AKA slow cooker....
3 months ago Jill Manfredi
NOW you tell me! lol
3 months ago susan g
Clarification? Per step one, the upper pot is in the water of the base pot, not over it (the usual double boiler rule, as seen in the A&M video)? Step 4 says 'underneath'?
3 months ago Lisa Poe Taylor
Great! I love these genius recipes; it's like having a loving grandmother providing her well guarded secrets on a variety of culinary adventures.