What is polenta?

[McKelly]

I am reviewing some menus for our upcoming trips and I keep seeing "polenta". What is this exactly, is it like corn meal? Does it mean the dish is breaded? But then it is described as creamy, which makes me think it is not breading........so confused.... and am clearly not used to dining in upscale restaurants, LOL!! Can anyone give me a description of what this is? Thanks!

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I am not a huge fan of Polenta.......I would sort of compare it to grits.....cornmeal mixture. In fact my Mom used to tell me that as a child growing up poor and Italian, they could not afford pasta and so the children ate polenta as it was cheap to make and it was filling..

Wow, have times changed...now every Italian restaurant offers polenta.

Check this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polenta

 

[bicker]

We love polenta; think of it as corn risotto! There is just something so homey and conforting about it.

 

[granmaz]

My husband was worried too so he just asked for mashed potato instead of the polenta.

Maz

 

[Tam1067]

It is sort of the texture of grits in a way, but it also kind of tastes like unsweetened corn bread (I don't know how else to compare it). It is made out of corn meal so you get the distinctive corn taste there.

 

[5by5]

I would describe it as having a texture more like Cream of Wheat, but with a cornbread taste. But maybe that's just how my mom made it!

I never liked it either.

5by5

 

[pooch]

in the shape of the United States. We had to name the state & cut out its shape before we could eat it. Used to put her homemade sauce on it. Such memories!!!

Pooch

 

[DisneyFanatik]

My great-grandmother would make it like cream of wheat or farina but firmer (you could cut it with a knife). I can remember being a little kid and going to her house. She would be at the stove with the polenta in a huge pot, stirring it with a wooden spoon. As it got thicker she wouldn't have the strength to stir it anymore so my grandfather (her son) had to take over. She would serve it with tomato sauce and italian sausage. I think that it is a Northern Italian dish. My grandmother, who is from central/southern Italy, never grew up eating it. She started having it when she met my grandfather (who was from Northern Italy).