I’m so excited to have discovered this stunningly easy, hands-off method for making polenta in the oven (from Golden Pheasant polenta via Russ Parsons at the Los Angeles Times). Polenta falls into the same comfort category as mashed potatoes for me, but it’s as adaptable as pasta (and gluten-free too) for any sauce, cheese or vegetables you want to put on top.
Ingredients
- 1 cup polenta (medium-grind yellow cornmeal)
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (if using table salt, start with 1/2 teaspoon)
- 1 tablespoon butter
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 8-inch square pan (or some other 2-quart/8-cup equivalent).
- Add polenta, water and salt to baking pan. Stir with fork, breaking up lumps.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Stir in butter and bake for another 15 minutes. Polenta should still be a little soupy when you remove it from oven; it will continue to absorb moisture after it’s out.
- Serve with butter, cheese, pasta sauce, or cooked vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil.
Note
- This amount of water makes a nice soft polenta you would eat with a spoon. If you prefer a firmer polenta, use less water.
Here’a a link back to the post and pictures.
