It's amazing how my latest recipe hits close to home for so many people!! (myself included) Homemade Polenta Recipe: www.laurainthekitchen.com/recipes/polenta/
I am now a Polenta Lover after I followed your recipe, best that I have tasted and tried. It stayed soft like the texture of fluffy mashed potatoes even after hours in the pot and got cold. The flavor is excellent. This is now a keeper that can compliment most meat dishes, even meat loaf. This something that I can make and not rush my dinner guests fearing it will become solid and not palatable.
You looked slightly emotional towards the end, Laura...must have brought on some really happy memories. Thank you for sharing this with us. You are so beautiful in so many ways x
I've made polenta many times before. Tonight I tried this recipe.. OMG... I'm not EVER using any of my other recipes. This one is the best!! Served it with short ribs braised in apple juice and beef stock... sooo good. Thanks.
In Jamaica we call that Cornmeal Porridge and it's sweet =) so just about the same thing you did but instead of chicken stock, salt, pepper, butter and cheese, we add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla with some johnny cakes (fried dumplin) on the side that right there is PERFECTION for breakfast =) Also we only use whole milk (or condensed milk) but that half and half idea... think I'll try it.
When I was little, my grandmother would fix me cornmeal for breakfast. She'd make it the day before, cook it over the stove. She didn't put salt, pepper, cheese, or chicken stock in it because once she made it, she would refrigerate it overnight so it would set, then the next day she would slice it up and fry it in the skillet and serve it for breakfast, so so good!
Just made this and it is wonderful. I even used fat free milk because it was all I had and it turned out delicious. Just have to work on making it a little less lumpy!
My family do make polenta a little bit different: we cook for about 8min or so (depends of the amount of flour/water) and we put cheese in each plate (because most of the members enjoy it w/ tomato sauce. Sometimes we use or butter or olive oil (or neither). Milk and cream its more rare. Still taste amazing-ly heavenly!!!!
Wow this truly shows how different cultures have different takes on the same food. My parents are from Brazil, my paternal grandmother was from Italy. The Brazilian polenta is just water salt butter and the corn meal. For some reason I've always hated polenta though, yours sounds better lol
I grew up eating polenta and my mom used only water salt and corn meal to make the polenta.she always served it with a home tomato sauce. and Romano cheese
I honestly love how this dish has encouraged so many people to share their stories from their birthplace in the comments about what variation on cornmeal they eat or ate as a child :)
Laura, Can you spread out this polenta on a cookie sheet, chill it and cut it into shapes to make fried polenta or is it too buttery and creamy and will the cheese burn?
In Barbados our National dish is something called coucou and flying fish. It's cornmeal but cooked in water and we mix in cooked okra to make it smooth, but we make it thicker so it can be scooped. It's a serious arm workout though, and it is not acceptable to have ANY lumps so you stir constantly. Then we make a stew with flying fish that acts as gravy and almost always some cooked sweet potato on the side. It's delicious!
Hi Laura!! How are you and your husband?? I was wondering if you can show us your take on a spinach and artichoke dip? I know there are plenty of recipes online but I have a strong feeling yours will be much more better!! Thanks!! I appreciate all you and your husband do to bring these yummy recipes to us viewers!!
Polenta is something people used to eat instead of bread or pasta in Italy, exspecially in the north of it. It's not a soup, it isn't like mashed potatoes and it's good to eat it as a side dish with mushrooms and grilled cheese. Actually Laura's recipe isn't the classical one, but surely it's tasty and more on the "complete dish" side. :)
I LOVE YOUR RECIPES. I MADE YOUR RECIPE FOR RED VELVET CAKE FOR MY BIRTHDAY, AND IT WAS SO SO SO DELICIOUS. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR RECIPES WITH US.
Hi Laura. I really enjoy your videos!! If I could make a suggestion, it would be really helpful if you would include the direct link to the recipe you've featured, rather than just a link to your blog. This way people don't have to search through your website to find the recipe, because the link takes you straight to it.
like the Italian version of grits! My grandma made them creamy with butter and milk and I like to add cheese. I still eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner :)
I used to make a different variation of this, except in Indiana we call it cornmeal mush. I make it with milk and sugar and butter. It's what they used to eat on the Oregon Trail. Mmmm.
My dad always made this when I was a kid, but he called it corn meal mush. His family were farmers in Indiana, of German extraction, so I don't really know how it came to be called 'mush'! This was a long time ago, as I am now 68 years old. My dad always let it firm up in a loaf pan, sliced and fried it in lard! Oh my, not exactly healthy living, but oh so good.
Yep! This is a childhood recipe for me & mine, too...My Mom would pour it out on a board in the middle of the table! She'd make a shape & we would each mark off a section for ourselves...So silly & sooo fun! Of course, her spaghetti sauce was on top, too!
my Haitian family makes something similar. They make it a sweet porridge for desert or they can also make it as an entry with beans with any side of meat
Hi Laura, I really liked that you increased milk & cream to the recipe. My question is, since I live in Brazil i think would be very hard to find half & half (i googled it and it appears to be some kind of light cream that usually goes with coffee) what would be an easy substitute for this?
Traditional polenta is made with corn, water and salt. You should use a copper pan and stir it and stir it with a woden stick for about one hour! When it's ready you can add cheese (a lot!) or serve it with bolognese or sausage sauce. It's delicious! Laura's version is interesting, it doesn't seem to stick to the pan, maybe it's because of the cream and the milk in the mixture... anyway, I'll give it a try! :)
actually polenta is more from northern Italy, but I completely agree that I was confused on why she didn't have this recipe sooner, it's such a classic.
Yes! U can lighten it up. Skip the half and half and put less butter. U do need milk and butter in order to make it creamy, otherwise it would taste bland! I heard some people adds rosemary( not fond of it myself) and voila!
The italian polenta is salty because it's usually served with meat like rabbit, deer or sausages or even with a big piece of cheese that melts with the hot polenta. There are many different tipes of polenta made with different "flours" :) I'd love to try the sweet version
Since my dad is Romanian he makes this TOTALLY differently. He actually makes it thick enough so you can cut through it and get polenta slices out off it.
omg I grew up on it but with milk and sugar as a breaksfast "porridge" my favorite is Goyas in the spanish section. Big here with latinos on the east coast. Oh it's so good.
Laura please answer, why when i make some porridge it always burn to the bottom and it hardens and its really hard to get off? So i really want to make this recipe but im scared if the same thing happens AGAIN. Should i add some oil?
I am from Slovenia. It borders with Italy and i eat poletna a lot so i am sure i am going to make it soon. Maybi today. Love your recipes. Sory cuz my english is bad :-(
I am pretty sure there are different ways to prepare polenta :) But I know what you mean. I also just know the firm version, sliced or molded and then fried sometimes in a little bit of butter. But it's always nice to learn new things isn't it ? ;)
I've never had polenta (reminds me of the word placenta, sorry if I grossed anyone out) but it does look totally good. What does it taste like or does it just depend on how it's made and the ingredients you use
In Romania we used to have it with freshly picked mushroom-...stew.. (?) it's probably not the best word to describe the dish.. (onions, garlic. mushroom, cream, parsley..) yummy...
If this already set you off, you should never come to my house. I eat pizza with a fluffy crust, macaroni with ham, cheese and ketchup and many more things I call "Italian" but really aren't. I don't care, neither should you. It's food, the beauty of it is that people can make their own take on it. If it's delicious, it's perfect to me. I'm glad Laura gives us her take on food, it's different than the classics I can find everywhere online. I love those changes that make it non-traditional :)
This seems a lot like grits (which is what I grew up eating and which also comes from corn meal). I'm all for trying polenta! but I think because of this recipe I'm going to try making grits with chicken broth and/or half and half and whole milk instead of water. Sounds delicious!
Adding cornmeal to boiling liquid is asking for lumps. Add to cold liquid and then heat on high,, whisking constantly,, will thicken within 3 minutes,, lower heat and then stir every 10 minutes,,, never any lumps.
What do you serve polenta with? I saw Martha Stewart serve it with meatballs directly on the table top... that was quite a few years ago. It was her tradition for the first snow. Can you tell us how it is served in Italy at your home?
It's amazing how my latest recipe hits close to home for so many people!! (myself included)
Homemade Polenta Recipe: www.laurainthekitchen.com/recipes/polenta/
very good whats your name
I am going to assume that your name is "Laura". But hey, what do I know?
i sure wuld like to taste sum of ur cooking
me too!!! just as you made it or served with bolognese sauce mmmmmmmmmmmm
In the recipe on your page it says 1 cup corn meal...with all that liquid...is that right? I'm making it now and I don't want to make a mistake.
I am now a Polenta Lover after I followed your recipe, best that I have tasted and tried. It stayed soft like the texture of fluffy mashed potatoes even after hours in the pot and got cold. The flavor is excellent. This is now a keeper that can compliment most meat dishes, even meat loaf. This something that I can make and not rush my dinner guests fearing it will become solid and not palatable.
You looked slightly emotional towards the end, Laura...must have brought on some really happy memories. Thank you for sharing this with us. You are so beautiful in so many ways x
I've made polenta many times before. Tonight I tried this recipe.. OMG... I'm not EVER using any of my other recipes. This one is the best!! Served it with short ribs braised in apple juice and beef stock... sooo good. Thanks.
Just made this! And I added the cheese to taste, and I used fat free milk and it turned out AMAZING! This is sooo yummy! Love it!
took me right back to my childhood.. My family is from Naples too, Your dishes, are our dishes.. so love your channel, feel like I am home..
you're very understanding and unselfish :) wish there were more people like you!
In Jamaica we call that Cornmeal Porridge and it's sweet =) so just about the same thing you did but instead of chicken stock, salt, pepper, butter and cheese, we add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla with some johnny cakes (fried dumplin) on the side that right there is PERFECTION for breakfast =) Also we only use whole milk (or condensed milk) but that half and half idea... think I'll try it.
like what we do with grits. They can go either way, sweet or savory, both delicious.
In my country we make the same porridge 🥣 reminds me of my grandma and my childhood very comforting
When I was little, my grandmother would fix me cornmeal for breakfast. She'd make it the day before, cook it over the stove. She didn't put salt, pepper, cheese, or chicken stock in it because once she made it, she would refrigerate it overnight so it would set, then the next day she would slice it up and fry it in the skillet and serve it for breakfast, so so good!
Me too. We knew it as fried mush.
It actually is very close to grits. It's delicious! I had it for the first time a few months ago and loved it!
Reminds me of cornmeal porridge. I’m Jamaican
Just made this and it is wonderful. I even used fat free milk because it was all I had and it turned out delicious. Just have to work on making it a little less lumpy!
You are so welcome, love!
I knew if I needed a recipe for polenta that you'd have it!! Great recioe.
Yummy my grandma used to make that and farina for us when we were little!!
My family do make polenta a little bit different: we cook for about 8min or so (depends of the amount of flour/water) and we put cheese in each plate (because most of the members enjoy it w/ tomato sauce. Sometimes we use or butter or olive oil (or neither). Milk and cream its more rare. Still taste amazing-ly heavenly!!!!
Thanks
I decided to make your version this time dunce didn't have any home made sauce on hand. It was so creamy and I loved it. Thanks Laura your the best
Wow this truly shows how different cultures have different takes on the same food. My parents are from Brazil, my paternal grandmother was from Italy. The Brazilian polenta is just water salt butter and the corn meal. For some reason I've always hated polenta though, yours sounds better lol
Yum, Polenta!! The first time my nonna made it for me I fell in love and have loved it ever since
I grew up eating polenta and my mom used only water salt and corn meal to make the polenta.she always served it with a home tomato sauce. and Romano cheese
Quick Cooking Polenta...is this Modern? Maybe it's like Quick or Instant Grits? However..You've Done Very Well!
I honestly love how this dish has encouraged so many people to share their stories from their birthplace in the comments about what variation on cornmeal they eat or ate as a child :)
Laura, Can you spread out this polenta on a cookie sheet, chill it and cut it into shapes to make fried polenta or is it too buttery and creamy and will the cheese burn?
In Barbados our National dish is something called coucou and flying fish. It's cornmeal but cooked in water and we mix in cooked okra to make it smooth, but we make it thicker so it can be scooped. It's a serious arm workout though, and it is not acceptable to have ANY lumps so you stir constantly. Then we make a stew with flying fish that acts as gravy and almost always some cooked sweet potato on the side. It's delicious!
Aw Laura I hope your dad watches your videos. You are so sweet.
Hi Laura!! How are you and your husband?? I was wondering if you can show us your take on a spinach and artichoke dip? I know there are plenty of recipes online but I have a strong feeling yours will be much more better!! Thanks!! I appreciate all you and your husband do to bring these yummy recipes to us viewers!!
It's so interesting to see how people differ with the way they make the same dishes!
You can also make a sweet type of cornmeal pourage
Polenta is something people used to eat instead of bread or pasta in Italy, exspecially in the north of it. It's not a soup, it isn't like mashed potatoes and it's good to eat it as a side dish with mushrooms and grilled cheese. Actually Laura's recipe isn't the classical one, but surely it's tasty and more on the "complete dish" side. :)
I LOVE YOUR RECIPES. I MADE YOUR RECIPE FOR RED VELVET CAKE FOR MY BIRTHDAY, AND IT WAS SO SO SO DELICIOUS. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR RECIPES WITH US.
iv seen it used as a substitute for mashed potatoes. and honestly, its a good substitute, i love both!!
Laura, that´s also my childhood in that plate(in Romania we love polenta)!Yummy!
In Italy I had Polenta with garlic mushrooms, Gorgonzola cheese and truffle shavings on top. YUM!
Make sure you don't skip the salt and pepper! If you do, it'll taste sweet
Hi Laura. I really enjoy your videos!! If I could make a suggestion, it would be really helpful if you would include the direct link to the recipe you've featured, rather than just a link to your blog. This way people don't have to search through your website to find the recipe, because the link takes you straight to it.
I had no idea what polenta was or have I ever had it but with your recipe I am ready to try it. Thanks :)
like the Italian version of grits! My grandma made them creamy with butter and milk and I like to add cheese. I still eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner :)
I love polenta this is very good specially on a cold winter day
I used to make a different variation of this, except in Indiana we call it cornmeal mush. I make it with milk and sugar and butter. It's what they used to eat on the Oregon Trail. Mmmm.
My dad always made this when I was a kid, but he called it corn meal mush. His family were farmers in Indiana, of German extraction, so I don't really know how it came to be called 'mush'! This was a long time ago, as I am now 68 years old. My dad always let it firm up in a loaf pan, sliced and fried it in lard! Oh my, not exactly healthy living, but oh so good.
Hi Laura! Do you have a cookbook I can purchase that has all of the recipes you have made videos about? I would love to buy one!
I love polenta.I eat it for breakfast and sometimes for dinner.yummy in my tummy :)
I am so excited to try this! Thanks, Laura!
Polenta was my favorite quick meal as an undergrad. You've inspired me to revisit it!
I think I am making braised short ribs and polenta this weekend for dinner. Sounds delicious!
Thanks for that recipe! And I love your earrings!!!
MY FAVOURITE WINTER DISH! where my nonno's from (ASCOLI PICENO- LE MARCHE) its huge.. We usually make it with Quail Sauce and/or Mushrooms...
Yep! This is a childhood recipe for me & mine, too...My Mom would pour it out on a board in the middle of the table! She'd make a shape & we would each mark off a section for ourselves...So silly & sooo fun! Of course, her spaghetti sauce was on top, too!
polenta is new to me. i will make some soon as this looks amazing!
my Haitian family makes something similar. They make it a sweet porridge for desert or they can also make it as an entry with beans with any side of meat
mai moulin with sauce pois and zaboca
Hi Laura, I really liked that you increased milk & cream to the recipe. My question is, since I live in Brazil i think would be very hard to find half & half (i googled it and it appears to be some kind of light cream that usually goes with coffee) what would be an easy substitute for this?
Traditional polenta is made with corn, water and salt. You should use a copper pan and stir it and stir it with a woden stick for about one hour! When it's ready you can add cheese (a lot!) or serve it with bolognese or sausage sauce. It's delicious! Laura's version is interesting, it doesn't seem to stick to the pan, maybe it's because of the cream and the milk in the mixture... anyway, I'll give it a try! :)
I will try this one today!
actually polenta is more from northern Italy, but I completely agree that I was confused on why she didn't have this recipe sooner, it's such a classic.
Yes! U can lighten it up. Skip the half and half and put less butter. U do need milk and butter in order to make it creamy, otherwise it would taste bland! I heard some people adds rosemary( not fond of it myself) and voila!
The italian polenta is salty because it's usually served with meat like rabbit, deer or sausages or even with a big piece of cheese that melts with the hot polenta. There are many different tipes of polenta made with different "flours" :) I'd love to try the sweet version
Did not find the recipe on the website. Please post it!
Thanks a million for this recipe...and for your wonderful videos!
Since my dad is Romanian he makes this TOTALLY differently. He actually makes it thick enough so you can cut through it and get polenta slices out off it.
Your kitchen is beautiful
is that dough proofing behind????
YESS! I have been waiting for polenta forever!! it's my childhood too, my parents used to feed it to me all the time when I was a baby =)
Polenta is regular corm Meal. I will choose to use Stone Ground Cornmeal ! Something that is truly looking delicious !
Interesting way to make this! I'll be posting another way soon :) thanks for taking the time to upload these.
I love your videos on all three channels :) love you, you're an inspiration
omg I grew up on it but with milk and sugar as a breaksfast "porridge" my favorite is Goyas in the spanish section. Big here with latinos on the east coast. Oh it's so good.
in romania we ake it with only water salt and cornmeal, i thought mamaliga and polenta are the same thing but apparently theyre not lol,, im glad :D
Laura please answer, why when i make some porridge it always burn to the bottom and it hardens and its really hard to get off? So i really want to make this recipe but im scared if the same thing happens AGAIN. Should i add some oil?
whenever have polenta i put it over some cooked italian sausage and its really good
I am from Slovenia. It borders with Italy and i eat poletna a lot so i am sure i am going to make it soon. Maybi today. Love your recipes. Sory cuz my english is bad :-(
To se kod nas u Hrvatskoj zove ...preseravanje.. ..ha. ha. ha.
Never heard of this looks good
Electric Stove or Gas? Laura any tips?
I am pretty sure there are different ways to prepare polenta :) But I know what you mean. I also just know the firm version, sliced or molded and then fried sometimes in a little bit of butter. But it's always nice to learn new things isn't it ? ;)
Can I use cream for half and half?
I have never had polenta before....can you describe how it tastes? Is it corn tasting?
I’m making this tonight 🤣
Sounds delicious!
have you ever thought of or do you have a cookbook?
I've never had polenta (reminds me of the word placenta, sorry if I grossed anyone out) but it does look totally good. What does it taste like or does it just depend on how it's made and the ingredients you use
Any tips on getting deals of Parma. Reggiano?$$$
In Romania we used to have it with freshly picked mushroom-...stew.. (?) it's probably not the best word to describe the dish.. (onions, garlic. mushroom, cream, parsley..) yummy...
If this already set you off, you should never come to my house. I eat pizza with a fluffy crust, macaroni with ham, cheese and ketchup and many more things I call "Italian" but really aren't. I don't care, neither should you. It's food, the beauty of it is that people can make their own take on it. If it's delicious, it's perfect to me. I'm glad Laura gives us her take on food, it's different than the classics I can find everywhere online. I love those changes that make it non-traditional :)
I love your shirt, where did you get it?
Great Job Laura
Laura, You are Amazing!!!!!
I had no idea that polenta was soooo rich. Is it similar to the semolina (cream of wheat) that you can make? Does it taste like grits?
Laura, whats a vegetarian substitute that can be used instead of chicken base?
Your smile Made My day! As always!
In creole we call it Labouyee (spell check) and it so good..best to eat it while it is hot...yum
I love polenta! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
What can you accompany this with?
This seems a lot like grits (which is what I grew up eating and which also comes from corn meal). I'm all for trying polenta! but I think because of this recipe I'm going to try making grits with chicken broth and/or half and half and whole milk instead of water. Sounds delicious!
I fry my polenta and serve topped with salsa & cheese and a chicken breast on the side. Yummy!
Adding cornmeal to boiling liquid is asking for lumps. Add to cold liquid and then heat on high,, whisking constantly,, will thicken within 3 minutes,, lower heat and then stir every 10 minutes,,, never any lumps.
What do you serve polenta with? I saw Martha Stewart serve it with meatballs directly on the table top... that was quite a few years ago. It was her tradition for the first snow. Can you tell us how it is served in Italy at your home?
it takes a while for her new recipes to come up on her website
Chicken stock you can get everywhere. either in a jar, carton or little cubes.
We call it turn cornmeal in Jamaica and we use coconut milk instead of cows milk
Hi Laura! I love all your videos!! Could you show us your version of Jambalaya?