What to do with polenta?

Shez

Hi guys

sorting out my cupboard ive found a bag of Polenta - and i cant remember what i originally bought it for!! and it now needs using up as its about to expire!!!

any suggestions as to what to make with it - apart from the obvious cornbread recipe on the packet?

Ideas/suggestions greatly appreciated!

AMIE399

shez...... silly girl..... you make yummy cornbread and send it to me !!!!!!! i will think im still in America lol !!!

nikibella

Hi,
you can make cornmeal pancakes or muffins (just substitute half of the plain flour with in your recipe with polenta).

TKP_3

Polenta is also good as a breadcrumb substitue on top of cheese (e.g. on a lasagne) to make it go crispy :drool:
Also, you say it is about to expire - if powdered polenta it may be a "best before" date rather than a "use by" date, meaning it has a MUCH longer shelf life than the date.
Use by means you have to use it by then (usually on fresh produce, meat, dairy etc), best before means it is not about to expire, it is just at it's best by then. I have used polenta up to a year after the date and it was fine.

Pink.

Hi Shez,

I've never used polenta, but I had a look on google and there seem to be some interesting recipe ideas.

Pink

otterspasm

I use a Delia (How to Cook - Book 1) recipe for Pizza bases which recommends rolling the dough out in polenta...just on the worktop surface instead of rolling out on some flour. It is lovely and gives the pizza base a lovely crisp but still soft finish. That's all I use it for aside from cornbread I'm afraid so I have no other suggestions for you.

Good luck.:D
Tess

Fivenations

Why not use it to make ..er..polenta?! Ok, it's not the tastiest thing in the world but then neither is mashed potatoe. Serve with an earthy goulash - loads of sauce - and some spiced cabbage. Heaven.

skint_spice

I've used some mixed with grated parmesan to roll potato skins in after coating in olive oil - makes them extra crispy... before putting them in the oven! Think it's an Antony WT recipe.

Quasar

Oh I love polenta! My mum and grandma used to make it often in the winter, over in Italy. It's not meant to be eaten on its own because it's not terribly tasty, but is excellent with a stew or cheese sauce.

Fivenations

Hi Quasaar. At last, a kindred soul.

My parents are from both end of Italy. One side likes the polenta firm enough to cut with a wooden knife. The other enjoys it sloppy like prridge and drizzled with an oily , garlicky tomato sauce.

Quasar

Fivenations wrote: »

Hi Quasaar. At last, a kindred soul.

My parents are from both end of Italy. One side likes the polenta firm enough to cut with a wooden knife. The other enjoys it sloppy like prridge and drizzled with an oily , garlicky tomato sauce.

All my family and ancestors are from the North West, at the foot of the Alps near Switzerland. Polenta is typical of the Veneto region, in the North East, where maize used to be their staple food.

My mum makes polenta firm and cuts it into slices with sewing thread, while I make it more porridgy. I love it with a mushroom sauce "Polenta e Funghi". I have to say that my gran made it with rabbit stew: "Polenta e Coniglio" being sooo delicious... (poor rabbits )