For years polenta reminded me of the Cream of Wheat my mother used to send me off to school with in the morning. It was totally boring. But once I started making polenta for myself I discovered I LOVED it. My special twist? I fat it up with milk, Parm, Fontina cheese, and mascarpone until it’s creamy, decadent, and delicious. Just remember, the kicker here is to season the liquid with plenty of salt in the beginning—it makes all the difference.
Recipe information
Yield
serves: 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a medium saucepan combine the milk, cups water, the bay leaf, and the cayenne. Season generously with salt—you want to take the seasoning to the edge of too salty in this case. To do this you MUST taste as you go! Polenta acts like a “salt eraser,” and if you don’t salt abundantly in this early step, you’ll never be able to get it properly seasoned. Bring the pot to a boil (BTB).
Step 2
When the liquid is boiling, gradually sprinkle in the polenta, whisking constantly. Once the polenta is combined, IMMEDIATELY switch to a wooden spoon and stir frequently until the polenta thickens; this will take 30 to 35 minutes. Taste the polenta to see if it’s cooked through; if it still feels mealy and grainy, add more milk or water and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Repeat this process as needed until the polenta feels smooth and creamy on your tongue.
Step 3
Remove the bay leaf and stir in the Parmigiano, Fontina, mascarpone, and sage. Serve immediately, or put a layer of plastic wrap right on the surface of the polenta (this prevents a skin from forming on the top) and reserve.
