The Path Of Polenta From Rural Food To Gourmet Temptation

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Polenta is a porridge of corn or oatmeal that originates in northern Italy and is known as rural food. Although the dish was once known as food for the poor, it has been promoted to gourmet status by food critics and can be found on the menus of some of the most elegant restaurants.

Most people consider pasta to be a typical Italian dish, and this is true for much of the peninsula, especially the south. Polenta, on the other hand, is the staple food of the poor in the north.

Prior to the introduction of corn in the late 17th century, polenta consisted of grains and / or legumes, pureed and cooked to a pulp, seasoned with butter, onions, dill, honey, or whatever was available. Not inspiring, but certainly enough food to keep people alive.

With the introduction of corn, things changed radically, as landowners found that new grain was more productive than traditional grain and could therefore set aside more of their land for crops that would bring them income.

Corn was ground like traditional grains, and polenta began to be made from corn flour. For a long time, poor families did not live on anything else.

Although it is most often made with coarse yellow corn flour, polenta can be made and of finely ground yellow or white corn flour. Traditional recipes require slow cooking in water or broth, although most of the time cooking can be unattended.

Polenta it is often served as a soft, thick porridge that can be topped with sauce or cheese. Cooked polenta can be cooled to hardness and cut into pieces, circles or other shapes that can be baked, grilled or fried.

There are five type of polenta. Like oatmeal or rice, polenta is flexible and can be served in different ways at any meal of the day. What is added to it and how it is presented makes the dish an elegant food or just a simple lunch. There are different types of polenta based on the preparation of the dish. They are:

- coarse polenta;

- finely ground polenta;

- instant polenta;

- white polenta;

- pre-prepared polenta.

Polenta is used in different ways, depending on the menu for the day it is served. Serve soft polenta, plain or with herbs, cheese, as a side dish. You can use polenta as a base for a vegetarian main course, garnished with sauce or various vegetables.

Another option is yes serve polenta instead of pasta or rice as part of various dishes. A good option for breakfast is a soft boiled polenta as a hot cereal, garnished with fresh or dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon and milk.

Italians from the northern part of the country still eat it today because it is very tasty, extremely flexible and an ideal accompaniment for all kinds of food.