Perhaps one of the most wonderful aspects of a good, creamy polenta is its simplicity. It’s light, fluffy, and in many ways it could almost be a dessert. For those who haven’t tried it yet, polenta is made from ground cornmeal and originates from Northern Italy.
We wanted to go ahead and craft the best dish we could without using too many ingredients, or anything too hard to find. To get the best creamy texture, however, we found that using pre-grated Parmesan cheese didn’t quite melt or brown perfectly in the dish. Instead, buy a block of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself. Keep reading below for this great, simple creamy polenta recipe…
Creamy Polenta
(makes 6 servings)
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cups water
- 1 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups polenta or yellow cornmeal
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and ground black pepper
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- Cherry tomatoes for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Bring the water and milk to a boil in a partially covered Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and very slowly pour the polenta into the boiling liquid. Stir constantly.
- Reduce to a simmer over low heat and cook, stirring often until all of the liquid has been absorbed, and the mixture is thick, but pourable(about 30 minutes).
- Preheat the oven to broil. Remove the polenta from heat, and stir in the butter and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the polenta to a 13″X9″ broiler-safe dish, and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over top.
- Broil the polenta until bubbling and the cheese is nicely browned (5 to 10 minutes). Garnish with cherry tomatoes if desired. Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Recipe adapted fromNY Times