Recipes Index
Polenta and The Birds That Got Away - Polenta e Osei Scappati
Polenta e Osei calls for game birds, which vary from place to place and are in any case not so easy to find as they once were. This Lombard recipe is a variation for the days when the hunters come up short.
Polenta di Viandanse Recipe - Sweet Polenta - Italian Breakfast Recipe
Polenta di Viandese is traditionally served for breakfast or as a snack in the city of Mantova, with milk or wine depending upon the age of the diners.
Polenta and Beans Recipe - Polenta e Fasoi
Polenta e Fasoi, polenta and beans, could work nicely as an antipasto, and will also go quite well with a roast or a stew, especially in winter. The recipe is from Lombardia, and will serve 6 as a side dish.
Baked Polenta with Gorgonzola Cheese - Pasticcio di Polenta e Gorgonzola
Polenta is a remarkable foil for cheese of all kinds, but does especially well with those that are somewhat sharp, and melt. Gorgonzola, for example, and you may find baked polenta with Gorgonzola becoming a winter favorite.
Baked Polenta, a Friulian Culinary Triumph
Polenta is extremely versatile, and though plain polenta was the staple of the poor for centuries, baked polenta can climb to extraordinary heights, and does so here, in this classic meaty dish from Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Polenta with Sausages Recipe - Polenta con le Salsicce - Sausages and Polenta
Polenta takes very well to being baked, and becomes divine if sausages enter the picture. Polenta with sausages is especially good in winter.
Cheesy Baked Polenta - Polenta Pasticciata alla Lombarda
Baked polenta and cheese is an inspired combination, especially if the cheese is a runny cheese. Comfort food at its finest.
Tyrolian Baked Polenta With Anchovies Recipe - Polenta Pasticciata alla Tirolese
A rich baked polenta dish with anchovies. Quite tasty!
Making Polenta - How To Make Polenta
Polenta, the Italian answer to cornmeal mush, is tasty, extremely versatile, and an ideal accompaniment to all sorts of things. Though it can be bought ready-made, purists are correct in saying that what one makes at home is better. In short, how to make polenta.
Polenta with Stewed Rabbit Recipe - Polenta col sugo di Coniglio
Though this stewed rabbit recipe calls for polenta, it will work equally well with pappardelle or other strip-style pastas, for example broad tagliatelle.
Polenta and Herring Recipe - Polenta e Scopeton
Polenta with a little fish was one of the mainstays of the diet of the poor in northern Italy; I have talked to Piemontesi who remember their parents hanging a salted anchovy over the table when they were little, and using it to season firm polenta by rubbing the slices against the anchovy. Gently, to make the anchovy last for more than one meal. In the Vicentino, on the other hand, they served polenta with salted or smoked herring, and chopped it up.
Dirty Polenta Recipe - Polenta Vuncia
Vuncia means dirty in Milanese, and this dirty polenta brings to mind dirty rice and some other concoctions in some ways. Despite its simplicity of execution, polenta is always a pleasure to discuss, especially because of the variations one encounters. For example in the Comasco region they mix the cornmeal with buckwheat.
Polenta Quenelles with a Finferli Sauce - Quenelles di Polenta Bianca con Ragu
Finferli, wild mushrooms that are also known as chanterelles, have pleasing apricot overtones and will work quite nicely with quenelles, which are soft dumplings.
Polenta with Beans, Fava Beans, and Cabbage - Polenta con Fagioli, Fave e Cavoli
This rich polenta recipe with greens is from the upper reaches of the Esino River, in the Marches. You'll need fresh cabbage, and in the past this meant that it was a winter dish.
Rich Polenta - Polenta Grassa - Hearty Polenta Recipe
Rich Polenta, or Polenta Grassa: As happens elsewhere in northern Italy, Polenta was and is one of the standard dishes enjoyed in Val D'Aosta, and it helped many families survive the winters back when isolation was a serious problem. Polenta Grassa is something else, however, a rich feast-day dish.
Cheesy Polenta Sandwiches - La Polenta del Reggitore
This is an old, old recipe for cheesy polenta sandwiches. Perfect winter comfort food.
Chestnut Polenta with Sausages -- Polenta di Castagne con Salsicce
Chestnut Polenta with Sausages, or Polenta di Castagne con Salsicce: This is an unusual, thoroughly winter recipe. Since chestnut flour is often lumpy, sift it before you use it. To serve 4:
Polenta and Black Leaf Kale - Polenta e Cavolo Nero
Though Italians generally associate cavolo nero with Tuscany, it's grown throughout the land, and this recipe is from the Valle d'Aosta. It's generally served as a one-course meal.
Polenta with Canned Tuna -- Polenta col Tonno Sott'Olio
Polenta with Canned Tuna, or Polenta col Tonno Sott'Olio: Polenta is often served with rich meat sauces or stews. However, until not too long ago the Church forbade meat on Fridays (and still disapproves today), and this meant that people had to think of something else. Here's a solution from the Marche.
Sardinian Polenta -- Polenta alla Sarda
Sardinian Polenta, or Polenta alla Sarda: This is a Sardinian recipe, and ideally should be made with pecorino sardo, Sardinian sheep's milk cheese. If you cannot find pecorino sardo, use pecorino toscano. Romano will be too sharp.
Baked Polenta Milanese Style -- Polenta Pasticciata alla Milanese
Polenta Pasticciata alla Milanese is baked polanta Milanese style, winter fare that will help keep the cold at bay.
Polenta Gnocchi with Butter, Prosciutto and Parmigiano
Corn meal gnocchi made with polenta are a refreshing change from the potato-based gnocchi one normally encounters. In this recipe they're baked with prosciutto and other goodies, and will do a fine job of keeping winter out.
Polenta with Snails -- Polentone con Lumache
Polenta with Snails, or Polentone con Lumache: This recipe for snails is from the Marche. Before Vatican II snails would have been a special meatless day treat for those living high in the mountains where fish was hard to come by. If you start with live snails it does require considerable time and effort, but if you would rather you can use canned snails.