Smoked Ricotta Polenta
Ingredients:
5 cups water
Ingredients:
5 cups water
1 cup medium or fine-grain cornmeal
*Chicken broth
Garlic powder
Smoked sea salt
Ground black pepper
Red pepper flakes
1/4 cup unsalted butter
4 oz smoked ricotta cheese (or plain if you can't find smoked)
Fresh ground pepper
Minimal MESS/ingredients/clean-up: Category 1
To Do:
- Boil the water in a medium-sized heavy sauce pan over high heat.
- Slowly whisk the cornmeal into the water. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens without clumps, 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low, then cook uncovered for about 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so with a wooden spoon. *Note: If polenta becomes too thick to stir easily, try thinning it with 1/2 cup water or chicken broth, then continue cooking. You may need to add as much as 1 cup more water or broth as necessary, to keep the polenta soft enough to stir.
- Season to taste with a pinch or two of the garlic powder, smoked salt, pepper and chili flakes, then add the butter and ricotta, and stir to incorporate.
- Mix well and spoon onto plates, then top with my tasty broccoli rabe and sausage mixture, or eat the polenta as is, topped with a bit more ricotta and some fresh herbs.
- If you aren't serving the polenta immediately, put it in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water and cover to keep warm for up to an hour. Stir well before serving.
