How to make polenta? How to submit it? How to make a rich snack from the "poor" porridge? We will consider all these culinary questions in this article.
Recipe content:
- Cooking polenta: subtleties and secrets
- How to make polenta
- Polenta - classic recipe
- Video recipes
Among the many Italian culinary treasures, many dishes are in the public domain: pizza, risotto, pasta, polenta. This is the most sonorous "roll call" of Italian dishes. In this famous list, polenta occupies a special place, which has turned from porridge for the poor into an exquisite dish. In gourmet restaurants, the dish is valued at a considerable sum. However, this dish is both democratic and rich.
Cooking polenta: subtleties and secrets
Polenta is a dish made from cornmeal. This is a thick porridge, side dish or a separate dish. It is served alone or with additives: meat, anchovies, fish, seafood, etc. The quality of polenta depends on the quality of the flour. The dish should be creamy and smooth, because during cooking, the starch dissolves completely. Cheap low-grade flour will not give such a result, and larger particles will not completely dissolve.
- To make the polenta soft, you need to use 3 parts water for 1 part cornmeal.
- Cook the dish over low heat for 40-50 minutes, stirring constantly.
- "Historical" technology involves the use of copper utensils for cooking polenta.
- The readiness of the porridge is determined when the mass lags behind the sides of the pan. Then it's time to remove it from the stove.
- Corn flour can be white or yellow. But more often yellow is used.
- It is advisable to give preference to coarse flour, then the dish will be more useful. Finely ground porridge will come out more tender with a creamy texture.
- To serve polenta, pour it into a bowl soaked in cold water. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, then spread on a plate.
- The remaining polenta is kept in the refrigerator under plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
- If the porridge is needed thick for frying, then it is laid out on a baking sheet greased with 1, 2 cm thick and left to thicken or baked at 175 ° C until it warms up.
- Cut the thick polenta into squares with a pizza knife or a regular kitchen knife.
- Before cutting, it is kept in hot water for some time.
- To avoid lumps, flour is slowly poured into boiling water, stirring constantly. Another easy way to avoid the formation of lumps is to put the cornmeal in cold water, beat quickly, and then bring to a boil.
- If the polenta is burnt from below, then it is transferred to another pan, without scraping the burnt bottom, and continue to cook. At the same time, it is often stirred.
- The lumpy polenta is removed from the stove, the lumps are kneaded, and vigorously beaten with a mixer.
- A soft, warm polenta that can be used as a substitute for bread during meals.
How to make polenta?
You can make polenta in a variety of ways. But the easiest one is on water with added salt. For a tastier and healthier porridge, use yellow or white flour, and a thick consistency - coarse grinding.
- Caloric content per 100 g - 87 kcal.
- Servings - 4
- Cooking time - 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Water - 3 l
- Corn grits - 1 tbsp.
- Salt to taste
Step by step cooking:
- Boil salted water in a saucepan.
- Add corn grits gradually, while stirring constantly.
- After boiling again, when bubbles form, reduce heat.
- Continue to cook the cereal for 30 minutes, stirring constantly. If necessary, add water or porridge.
- When the mass lags behind the sides of the pan, then the dish is ready.
- Transfer the mass to a tray, shape and leave to cool.
Polenta - the classic recipe
The original and classic polenta recipe is very simple. The main thing is to observe the technology and consistency of the recipe.
Ingredients:
- Yellow corn flour - 0.5 tbsp
- Drinking water - 1, 5 tbsp.
- Salt to taste
Step by step cooking:
- Boil water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan to prevent the porridge from burning.
- Stir in the cornmeal gradually with a wooden spoon.
- Season with salt and stir.
- Boil the mixture again, stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring.
- When the porridge begins to lag behind the walls, freely separates from the bottom and forms a crust on the sides of the pan, it means that it is ready. The consistency of polenta should be smooth and creamy.
- Place the Italian treat on a cutting board, rectangle and refrigerate.
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