How to Make Polenta - an Easy Italian Recipe
A simple and delicious corn meal dish that has been made in Italy for centuries.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 bunch rapini washed and chopped into small pieces
- 1 ½ cups polenta or good quality corn meal (you can put it in the blender to make it more fine or leave as is)
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 1 caramelized onion optional, to serve
Instructions
- Fry the onion in the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium high heat until translucent and just starting to brown.
- Add 4 cups of water to the pot. Then add the chopped rapini.
- Next, add 2 cups of water to the cornmeal placed in a bowl, and stir to moisten. This technique of adding water to the dry ingredient will ensure that you will avoid lumps. However, do not add the water to the polenta until just before adding it to the pot. Add half a teaspoon of Kosher salt at this time, taste and add more as needed.
- Immediately add the wet polenta to the pot before the water comes to a boil. Continue stirring, and cook over medium heat (it should be bubbling) for about 25 minutes.
- Keep scraping the bottom to make sure the polenta doesn't stick. Be careful not to let it boil too fast or the polenta may bubble which is painful if it squirts onto your hand.
- If you are using a quick cooking package, it will be ready in just a few minutes, however the traditional type will need to cook for about 25 minutes, possibly longer. Taste again for salt and remove from heat when it is no longer hard and gritty.
- Pour into bowls immediately and serve as desired.
Notes
- Important Note: If there is any leftover in the pot, put it into a dish which you will want to keep in the refrigerator as it hardens as it cools.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 bowl | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 249mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1288IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a review by clicking on the RATE button above in the purple header or share a photo and tag @ChristinasCucina on Instagram!