Polenta (/pəˈlɛntə,poʊˈ-/, Italian: [poˈlɛnta])[2][3] is a dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. The dish comes from Italy. It may be served as a hot porridge, or it may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled.
Polenta
Polenta porridge with lentils (bottom) and cotechino sausage (top)
The variety of cereal used is usually yellow maize, but often buckwheat, white maize, or mixtures thereof may be used. Coarse grinds make a firm, coarse polenta; finer grinds make a soft, creamy polenta.[4] Polenta is a staple of Northern Italian, Swiss, and Balkan (where it is called Mămăligă, kačamak, or polenta) cuisines (and, to a lesser extent, the Central Italian one, e.g. Tuscany). It is often mistaken for the Slovene-Croatian food named žganci. [1] Its consumption was traditionally associated with lower classes, as in times past cornmeal mush was an essential food in their everyday nutrition.[5]
Polenta served in the traditional manner on a round wooden cutting board.
Polenta covered any hulled and crushed grain, especially barley-meal, and is derived from the Latin: pollen for 'fine flour', which shares a root with pulvis, meaning 'dust.'[6]
History
As it is known today, polenta derives from earlier forms of grain mush (known as puls or pulmentum in Latin) that were commonly eaten since Roman times. Before the introduction of corn (maize) from America in the 16th century,[7] polenta was made from starchy ingredients like farro, chestnut flour, millet, spelt, and chickpeas.[8]
In Yemen, polenta is primarily prepared from either sorghum meal or barley-meal with an addition of animal fat and made into a thick paste, and is known locally as ʿaṣīd.[9][10] It is often served in a bowl where soup broth is added as a viand, and eaten with one's fingers.
Cooking time
Polenta takes a long time to cook, simmering in four to five times its volume of watery liquid for about 45 minutes with near-constant stirring; this is necessary for even gelatinization of the starch. Some alternative cooking techniques have been invented to speed up the process or not require constant supervision. Quick-cooking (pre-cooked, instant) polenta is widely used and is prepared in just a few minutes; it is considered inferior to polenta made from unprocessed cornmeal and is best eaten after being baked or fried.[citation needed]
Sorghum-meal polenta with soup stock in center
In his book Heat, Bill Buford talks about his experiences as a line cook in Mario Batali's Italian restaurant Babbo. Buford details the differences in taste between instant polenta and slow-cooked polenta and describes a method of preparation that takes up to three hours but does not require constant stirring: "polenta, for most of its cooking, is left unattended. ... If you don't have to stir it all the time, you can cook it for hours—what does it matter, as long as you're nearby?"[11]Cook's Illustrated magazine has described a method using a microwave oven that reduces cooking time to 12 minutes and requires only a single stirring. In March 2010, it presented a stovetop, near-stir-less method that uses a pinch of baking soda (an alkali), which replicates the traditional effect.[12][13]
^ abRighi Parenti, Giovanni (2003) [1995]. "Pisa, Lucca, Livorno". La cucina toscana [Tuscan cuisine] (in Italian). Rome: Newton & Compton. p. 384. ISBN88-541-0141-9.
^Migliorini, Bruno; Tagliavini, Carlo; Fiorelli, Piero. Tommaso Francesco Borri (ed.). "Dizionario italiano multimediale e multilingue d'ortografia e di pronunzia". dizionario.rai.it. Rai Eri. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^Canepari, Luciano. "Dizionario di pronuncia italiana online". dipionline.it. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^"Polenta – How to Cook Polenta". mangiabenepasta.com. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
^ [The history of polenta]. I primi d'Italia (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
^Dubreuil, P.; et al. (2006). "More on the Introduction of Temperate Maize into Europe: Large-Scale Bulk SSR Genotyping and New Historical Elements" (PDF). Maydica. 51: 281–291.
^Zeldes, Leah A. (3 November 2010). "Eat this! Polenta, a universal peasant food". Dining Chicago. Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
Brandolini, Giorgio V., Storia e gastronomia del mais e della patata nella Bergamasca, Orizzonte Terra, Bergamo, 2007. 32 pages.
Eynard, W., La Cucina Valdese, Claudiana, 2006.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Polentas.
May 18, 2023
polenta, other, uses, disambiguation, italian, poˈlɛnta, dish, boiled, cornmeal, that, historically, made, from, other, grains, dish, comes, from, italy, served, porridge, allowed, cool, solidify, into, loaf, that, baked, fried, grilled, porridge, with, lentil. For other uses see Polenta disambiguation Polenta p e ˈ l ɛ n t e p oʊ ˈ Italian poˈlɛnta 2 3 is a dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains The dish comes from Italy It may be served as a hot porridge or it may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked fried or grilled PolentaPolenta porridge with lentils bottom and cotechino sausage top TypePorridgePlace of originNorthern and Central Italy 1 Main ingredientsYellow or white cornmeal liquid water soup stock Cookbook Polenta Media PolentaThe variety of cereal used is usually yellow maize but often buckwheat white maize or mixtures thereof may be used Coarse grinds make a firm coarse polenta finer grinds make a soft creamy polenta 4 Polenta is a staple of Northern Italian Swiss and Balkan where it is called Mămăligă kacamak or polenta cuisines and to a lesser extent the Central Italian one e g Tuscany It is often mistaken for the Slovene Croatian food named zganci 1 Its consumption was traditionally associated with lower classes as in times past cornmeal mush was an essential food in their everyday nutrition 5 Polenta served in the traditional manner on a round wooden cutting board Fried polenta with marinara sauce Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Cooking time 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingEtymology EditPolenta covered any hulled and crushed grain especially barley meal and is derived from the Latin pollen for fine flour which shares a root with pulvis meaning dust 6 History EditAs it is known today polenta derives from earlier forms of grain mush known as puls or pulmentum in Latin that were commonly eaten since Roman times Before the introduction of corn maize from America in the 16th century 7 polenta was made from starchy ingredients like farro chestnut flour millet spelt and chickpeas 8 In Yemen polenta is primarily prepared from either sorghum meal or barley meal with an addition of animal fat and made into a thick paste and is known locally as ʿaṣid 9 10 It is often served in a bowl where soup broth is added as a viand and eaten with one s fingers Cooking time EditPolenta takes a long time to cook simmering in four to five times its volume of watery liquid for about 45 minutes with near constant stirring this is necessary for even gelatinization of the starch Some alternative cooking techniques have been invented to speed up the process or not require constant supervision Quick cooking pre cooked instant polenta is widely used and is prepared in just a few minutes it is considered inferior to polenta made from unprocessed cornmeal and is best eaten after being baked or fried citation needed Sorghum meal polenta with soup stock in center In his book Heat Bill Buford talks about his experiences as a line cook in Mario Batali s Italian restaurant Babbo Buford details the differences in taste between instant polenta and slow cooked polenta and describes a method of preparation that takes up to three hours but does not require constant stirring polenta for most of its cooking is left unattended If you don t have to stir it all the time you can cook it for hours what does it matter as long as you re nearby 11 Cook s Illustrated magazine has described a method using a microwave oven that reduces cooking time to 12 minutes and requires only a single stirring In March 2010 it presented a stovetop near stir less method that uses a pinch of baking soda an alkali which replicates the traditional effect 12 13 See also Edit Food portalGa at Grits Farina food Hasty pudding Kacamak List of maize dishes List of porridges Mămăligă Masa Mush Nshima Pap Pastel de choclo Pudding corn Sadza Tamales Ugali Upma ZganciReferences Edit a b Righi Parenti Giovanni 2003 1995 Pisa Lucca Livorno La cucina toscana Tuscan cuisine in Italian Rome Newton amp Compton p 384 ISBN 88 541 0141 9 Migliorini Bruno Tagliavini Carlo Fiorelli Piero Tommaso Francesco Borri ed Dizionario italiano multimediale e multilingue d ortografia e di pronunzia dizionario rai it Rai Eri Retrieved 12 February 2016 Canepari Luciano Dizionario di pronuncia italiana online dipionline it Retrieved 12 February 2016 Polenta How to Cook Polenta mangiabenepasta com Retrieved 28 September 2015 La storia della polenta The history of polenta I primi d Italia in Italian Archived from the original on 2 December 2013 Retrieved 31 January 2016 Oxford English Dictionary 3rd edition 2006 s v Dubreuil P et al 2006 More on the Introduction of Temperate Maize into Europe Large Scale Bulk SSR Genotyping and New Historical Elements PDF Maydica 51 281 291 Zeldes Leah A 3 November 2010 Eat this Polenta a universal peasant food Dining Chicago Chicago s Restaurant amp Entertainment Guide Inc Retrieved 18 May 2011 Qafih Y 1982 Halichot Teman Jewish Life in Sana in Hebrew Jerusalem Ben Zvi Institute p 326 s v עציט ISBN 965 17 0137 4 OCLC 863513860 Tobi Yosef Seri Shalom eds 2000 Yalqut Teman Lexicon of Yemenite Jewry in Hebrew Tel Aviv E eleh betamar p 63 s v דיסות ומאכלי קדרה OCLC 609321911 Buford Bill 2006 Heat New York Alfred A Knopf p 150 ISBN 1 4000 4120 1 Kimball Christopher Yanagihara Dawn January 1998 The Microwave Chronicles Cook s Illustrated 11 Kimball Christopher March 2010 Creamy Parmesan Polenta Cook s Illustrated Further reading EditBrandolini Giorgio V Storia e gastronomia del mais e della patata nella Bergamasca Orizzonte Terra Bergamo 2007 32 pages Eynard W La Cucina Valdese Claudiana 2006 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Polentas Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Polenta amp oldid 1154294944, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
