Corn flour porridge, which in the past served as a shield against hunger, began to be enjoyed after World War II, at home and in restaurants.
Typical of northern Italy, more precisely in Veneto, polenta was initially made with oats, however, with the arrival of the Spanish in America and consequently, the production of corn in Europe around the year 1500, the main ingredient was replaced by corn flour, resulting in an even creamier and more appetizing polenta, the same, which, just like in Brazil, in Italian lands, the preparations are countless, varying according to the region: soft, hard, grilled or fried.
Corn, originally from Central America, was introduced to Spain by Christopher Columbus and from there it was taken to northern Italy between the 16th and 17th centuries. On the island of Torcello, in the Venice Lagoon, and in other Venetian lands, the grain was cultivated in large quantities, and its flour, mixed with other cereals, is used in the manufacture of bread and also exported.
In the period of decline that began in the Republic of Venice with the fall of the Byzantine Empire, corn was one of the shields against hunger. Given the high cost of importing cereals, corn flour began to be consumed alone, in the form of polenta.
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In the 18th century, corn cultivation expanded throughout Italy, and this porridge became the staple food in both the countryside and the city. Until the following century, it was considered food for the poor, then it was fashionable for a period, fell out of favor again, and only regained popularity after the Second World War, now appearing on the menu of many Italian restaurants.
Polenta can be white – typical of Venice – or yellow (depending on the flour used), soft or fried, with cheese or sauce. Tradition says that it must be cut with a thread or string, to preserve the granulation of the corn flour and prevent it from sticking to the knife and breaking.
This delicacy quickly became popular throughout the country and each Brazilian region adapted the recipe to its customs and the culture of its people, adding typical seasonings. The result was a delicious combination that we can see on tables in Brazil. As a starter or as a main dish we find several variations. It can be eaten according to the customer's taste, such as polenta with ribs; with mushrooms, a good option for vegetarians; with rattatouille, also for vegans; in the form of a crouton, sprinkled on Caesar salad; or dry polenta sticks, accompanying an appetizing burger, for those who love sandwiches. See 5 recipes we chose for you:
Polenta with Pot Meat
Ingredients
Pot meat
600 grams of chuck or duckling cut into cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 chopped onion
1 chopped tomato
3 spoons of tomato paste
Cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley
Olive oil
Polenta
1 cup of cornmeal
4 cups of good homemade chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
Sal Island
Olive oil
Preparation
Pot meat: Season the meat with salt, pepper and cumin to taste. In the pressure cooker, heat a drizzle of olive oil and fry the garlic and onion. Add the meat and let it brown. Add some chicken broth (about ½ cup). Close the pan. As soon as it reaches pressure, set the time for 15 minutes and turn it off. Open the pan and add the tomatoes and then the tomato paste. Let it cook for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the parsley. Polenta: In a large pan, sauté the garlic with a drizzle of olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and 3 of the 4 cups of chicken broth. In a bowl, add 1 cup of chicken broth and the cornmeal, stirring until it dissolves completely. Add this mixture to the pan and stir until a very consistent cream is formed.
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Traditional Polenta
Traditional polenta
Ingredients
2l of boiled water
800g corn flour (cornmeal)
1 tablespoon of salt
Preparation
Bring the water to the fire. With the water boiling, add the flour little by little, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Leave 40 minutes cooking. The polenta point is when the dough comes away from the pan. Then place the polenta on a wooden board or similar and set aside. When warm, serve plain or with homemade tomato sauce.
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Creamy polenta
Ingredients
250 grams of cornmeal
1,5 liters of homemade vegetable broth (if you want, you can use the kind you find in the supermarket)
3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of butter
Preparation
Dissolve the cornmeal in the vegetable broth. Reserve. In the pressure cooker, add the rest of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the dissolved cornmeal. Add cheese and butter. Stir well and when it starts to bubble, cover the pan. Cook for 5 minutes over low heat, after the pressure starts. Remove the pressure, open the pan, transfer the polenta to a dish and serve with your favorite sauce.
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Soft polenta with cheese and meat ragu
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Soft polenta with cheese and meat ragu
Ingredients
1 bunch of chopped parsley
1 chopped onion
Olive oil to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
Bay leaves to taste
200g beef muscle cut into cubes
300g beef chuck cut into cubes
salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
1 cup of homemade meat broth. (if you want, you can use broth like those found in the supermarket)
3 cups of cornmeal
6 cups of water
1 tablespoon butter
1 chopped tomato without skin and seeds
1 cup of tomato sauce
Parmesan cheese to taste
Preparation
In a pressure cooker, add a little olive oil, chopped garlic cloves, chopped onion and bay leaves. Sauté. Add the beef muscle and chuck cut into cubes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add the meat broth, cover the pan and let it cook under pressure for 40 minutes. In another pan, add the water (at room temperature) and the cornmeal. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and mix well. Cook the polenta until it leaves the bottom of the pan. Add the butter and stir well. Transfer the polenta to a serving dish and set aside. Still in the pressure cooker, shred all the meat. Add the tomato and tomato sauce. Mix and let it boil. Over the polenta, place the meat ragu, parmesan cheese to taste and parsley. Place in the oven to brown for about 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
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Creamy Polenta with Chicken Sauce
Polenta with chicken sauce
Ingredients
Sauce
½ chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
400g chicken breast, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon soy sauce (shoyu)
1 can of peeled tomatoes or 1 and ½ cups of ready-made tomato sauce
½ cup of water
Salt, pepper, green scent according to your taste
Polenta
1l of homemade chicken or chicken broth. (if you want, you can use broth like those found in the supermarket)
1 cup of cornmeal
2/3 cup of water
3 tablespoons grated parmesan3 tablespoons grated parmesan
salt to taste
Preparation
Sauce: Sauté the chicken with the onion and garlic. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, tomato sauce and water. Let the mixture boil and keep the pan covered over low heat, stirring occasionally for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender. If the sauce starts to get too thick, add boiling water little by little (keep a mug of boiling water nearby for this task). As I used an iron pan, the chicken was very tender due to the internal temperature it reaches. If you prefer, put everything under pressure for 15 minutes. Polenta: Bring 1 liter of chicken or chicken broth to the boil (if you want, you can use the kind you find in the supermarket). Let it boil. Mix 1 cup of cornmeal with 2/3 cup of water and add this mixture little by little (while stirring constantly) to the boiling broth. After it thickens (consistency of thick porridge) continue stirring for 10 minutes to remove the strong cornmeal taste. If you think it's too thick, you can add a little more hot water. Turn off the heat, add 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan. Adjust the salt if necessary. You can serve it in a single dish or in individual portions.
