Holiday cooking is an enduring way to pass on family recipes that keep traditions alive. If polenta is not already a tradition in your family, why not consider making it one this holiday by turning over the preparation of these special recipes to your younger cooks? Polenta pie shared with family and friends around the holiday table might just be that special recipe to celebrate with.
The four recipes that follow are used to make two pies: Polenta Pie with Sausage and Cheese and, for vegetarians, Three-Cheese Polenta Pie. Teen chefs and your family kitchen team will be proud to serve them this holiday season or anytime they want to show off a little. What chef wouldn’t want to mess around with this much-to-love mush?
Ground corn in the form of polenta has been a staple in northern Italian cooking for centuries, and its origins go back to the Romans. Their armies, sustained by versions of polenta, conquered much of the world. Polenta remains so popular today that well-equipped Italian kitchens have a copper pot used exclusively for cooking it. Polenta, once considered peasant food even more humble than bread, is hugely popular today. And for good reason. Polenta recipes can range from plain to extravagant. Why not open your kitchen door to polenta possibilities?
I grew up Sicilian-American and we ate pasta, not polenta, in our house. So I’ve made it my mission to make up for all those years I missed out. The most delicious polenta I ever ate was in Verona. It had a texture so velvety and delicately smooth that I can still remember it and would love to have in front of me right now! I imagine that dish required a slow, constant stirring while it cooked an hour or more in a copper pot. I don’t want to discourage anyone from preparing a slow-cooked version, but it really is all right to go instant for these recipes for polenta pie.
If you’re not making a pie, you have a wide variety of options with polenta. It can be swirled piping hot with melted butter, and topped with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Or cut firm polenta into slices or cubes to co-star deliciously with sautéed vegetables, seafood, or meats. Pan juices or sauces absorbed into the polenta provide the bonus of added layers of flavor. Or try grilled or fried slices of polenta instead of bread for burgers, or ham-and-cheese-and-egg breakfast sandwiches. The list goes on and on.
The Instant Polenta recipe below is used for both pies and is as easy as boiling water. You can use the simple Tomato Sauce recipe included if you choose to make your own from scratch. Or you can simply use an excellent bottled pasta sauce.
Plan ahead, as both recipes require time to prepare. With both pie recipes it’s important that you follow the cooling times before you serve them. The finished pies will hold their heat for quite a long time, so you don’t need to be concerned about them getting cold.
Both polenta pies can be that special holiday tradition that everyone will love. With its creamy, delicate corn taste, simplicity, versatility, and enticing possibilities, only one word describes polenta: Perfect.
It’s pie time!
First published December 2014
Instant Polenta
From Teen Cuisine New Vegetarian by Matthew Locricchio (Skyscape 2012)
Ingredients
- •1½ teaspoons salt
- •30 ml (2 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil
- •320 grams (2 cups) instant polenta
Preparation
On your mark, get set, cook!
- Combine 1½ liters (6 ½ cups) water, salt, and olive oil in a 5½ liter (6-quart) pan with a lid. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Slowly pour in the polenta and stir with a wooden spoon or a whisk to break up any lumps. Be careful that you don’t splash yourself.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the lid and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Rinse a 23 cm (10-inch) square or round glass or metal baking dish with cold water but don’t dry it. Place it next to the stove.
- Carefully pour the cooked polenta into the wet baking dish. With a wet spoon or rubber spatula, smooth the surface of the hot polenta to even out the thickness.
- Let the polenta cool completely and become firm. It will take about 20 minutes. Once it is cool, it is ready to cut into slices for your recipe.
- Polenta can also be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. It will keep for up to 1 week.
Tomato Sauce
From The International Cookbook For Kids by Matthew Locricchio (Two Lions 2012)
Ingredients
- •1 kg (2 pounds) ripe tomatoes or 1 can (794 grams/28 ounces) chopped Italian tomatoes
- •1 medium-size red or yellow onion
- •2 cloves garlic
- •118 ml (½ cup) fresh basil leaves (optional) or 5 ml (1 teaspoon) dried
- •59 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
- •10 ml (2 teaspoons) dried oregano
- •5 ml (1 teaspoon) sugar
- •10 ml (2 teaspoons) salt
- •Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
On your mark, get set…
Wash the tomatoes and set them on a cutting board. Cut out the stem circle at the top of each tomato and discard. Roughly chop the tomatoes, place them in a bowl and set aside. If using canned tomatoes add the tomatoes and liquid to a bowl and set aside.Peel the onion and chop into small chunks.
Slightly crush the garlic by laying the flat side of a chef’s knife on the clove and press firmly to break open the skin. Peel and finely chop the garlic, combine with the onions and set aside.
Wash the basil, shake off any excess water and wrap in a paper towel to dry. Tear the basil leaves into small pieces, and set aside.
Cook!
Place a 3½ liter (4-quart) saucepan over low heat and add the olive oil. Heat the oil for 30 seconds, until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Raise the heat to medium and add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper.Bring the tomato mixture to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and the tomatoes are tender.vStir occasionally to prevent sticking. Skim off any foam or oil that rises to the surface and discard.
Serve with polenta, pasta, or as a pizza sauce.
Three-Cheese Polenta Pie
From Teen Cuisine New Vegetarian by Matthew Locricchio (Skyscape 2012)
Ingredients
- •454 grams (1 pound) assorted mushrooms (white, cremini, or baby portobello)
- •1 medium-size yellow onion
- •2 cloves garlic
- •3 ripe Roma tomatoes
- •4 to 5 basil leaves or 5 ml (1 teaspoon) dried
- •85 grams (3 ounces) fontina cheese
- •85 grams (3 ounces) mozzarella cheese
- •85 grams (3 ounces) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- •59 ml (¼ cup) whole milk
- •44 ml (3 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil
- •7.5 ml (1½ teaspoons) dried oregano
- •2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) salt
- •2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper
- •14 grams (1 tablespoon) butter
- •10 ml (2 teaspoons) cornstarch mixed with 14 ml (1 tablespoon) cold water
- •Instant Polenta*
Preparation
On your mark…
With a vegetable brush or paper towel, brush off any dirt from the mushrooms. Coarsely chop the mushrooms and set aside.Peel the onion, finely chop, and set aside.
Slightly crush the garlic by laying the flat side of a chef’s knife on the clove and pressing firmly to break open the skin. Remove the skin, cut off the root end, and discard. Coarsely chop and combine with the onion and set aside.
Wash the tomatoes and cut out the stem circle at the top. Chop the tomatoes, add to a small bowl, and set aside.
If you are using fresh basil leaves, wash and shake to remove the excess water and dry by rolling in paper towels. Tear into small pieces and set aside.
Get set…
Using the largest holes of a four-sided grater, grate the fontina, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and combine in a medium bowl. You should have a total of 150 grams (1½ cups) of grated cheese. Add the milk, mix well, and set aside.Cook!
Preheat the oven to 204˚C (400˚F) with a rack in the middle of the oven.Heat the olive oil in a 30 cm (12-inch) skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds until hot but not smoking.
Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. If the onion starts to brown, lower the heat.
Add the chopped tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and butter. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender.
Mix the cornstarch and 118 ml (½ cup) water and add to the tomato sauce, stirring to combine with all the ingredients.
Add the chopped mushrooms and mix all the ingredients together. Be careful not to spill the ingredients over the edge of the pan.
Add the cornstarch-water mixture and stir well. Reduce the heat to low and cook at a gentle boil for 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has thickened. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. If necessary, reduce the heat.
Cut the polenta into long ½-1 cm (¼ -to ½-inch) slices. Arrange them, so they cover the bottom and the sides of a 25 cm (10-inch) cast-iron skillet or baking dish. It is all right if some of the pan shows through the slices.
Spoon one-half of the tomato mixture evenly over the slices. Then spoon one-half of the cheese-and-milk over the tomato mixture.
Repeat the steps above with another layer of polenta slices, ending with the cheese-and-milk mixture on top.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and bubbly. Let the pie cool for 30 minutes or until the filling has set. Cut into slices and serve hot.
Polenta Pie with Sausage and Cheese
Excerpted from The International Cookbook For Kids by Matthew Locricchio (Two Lions 2012)
Ingredients
Pie Shell
- •1 recipe Instant Polenta*
Filling
- •454 grams (1 pound/about 6 links) sweet Italian sausage
- •1 medium-size yellow onion
- •113 grams (4 ounces) fontina cheese
- •113 grams (4 ounces) mozzarella cheese
- •57 grams (2 ounces) Parmesan cheese
- •118 ml (½ cup) Tomato Sauce (see recipe) or bottled pasta sauce
- •30 ml (2 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
On your mark, get set…
Prepare the recipe for Instant Polenta.
Remove the casings from the Italian sausage: Place one link on a cutting board and, with the tip of a sharp knife, make a cut along the length of the sausage. The meat will separate from the casing. Peel away the casing and discard. Using the flat side of the knife, spread the sausage meat onto the surface of the cutting board, then chop it to break up the meat into small pieces. Repeat with the other links. Add the chopped sausage meat to a bowl.
Wash the cutting board with hot soapy water and dry.
Peel and chop the onion.
Grate the fontina and mozzarella cheeses, using the large holes of a cheese grater, and combine in a bowl.
Grate the Parmesan cheese and set aside.
Measure out the Tomato Sauce, or bottled pasta sauce, and set aside.
Cook!
Preheat the oven to 204°C (400°F) with a rack in the middle of the oven.Heat the olive oil in a 25-30 cm (10-12 inch) skillet over low heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the sausage and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the meat has lost its red color. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Remove the sausage and onion mixture from the pan with a slotted spoon to a clean bowl and set aside.
To assemble the pie: Cut the polenta into long ½-1 cm (¼ -½ inch) thick slices. Arrange some of the polenta slices so they completely cover the bottom and sides of a 25 cm (10-inch) square baking pan or cast iron skillet. It is all right if some of the pan shows through the slices.
Sprinkle half of each of the fontina and mozzarella cheese mixture evenly across the layer of the polenta. Top with the sausage and onion mixture.
Spoon on the pasta sauce, then sprinkle on the rest of the fontina and mozzarella.
Arrange polenta slices to form the top layer of the pie. The total amount of polenta you use will vary depending on the shape and size of your pan, so don’t worry if you have left-over polenta. You can refrigerate it for another recipe.
Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until completely heated through and the top is lightly browned. Let the pie stand for 15 to 20 minutes or until the filling is set.
Cut into slices and serve hot. Serve with polenta, pasta, or as a pizza sauce.