A staple of country cooking. Serve instead of pasta as a side dish.

Over a year ago Quiznos Subs introduced a new roll to go with soup. It was a honey polenta roll. Living in a small southern city I knew many of the customers wouldn't know what polenta was, so I created as sign that said:

While not the same thing, polenta is nothing more than boiled corn meal. Polenta may be served in its creamy form, or allowed to solidify, after which it can be sliced and sautéed, grilled or fried prior to serving. The grilling method is very common in the Veneto. If you visit a small festa, you will often find grilled polenta and sausages as the main food sold. This recipe features the creamy polenta often served in the Friuli region of Italy.

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup quick-cooking polenta
• 2 Tbs unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Slowly whisk in the polenta.
3. Add the salt and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter. Mix well.
5. Serve immediately.

Note: Polenta goes well with many simple meats. Grilled sausage, pork chops, etc., are good pairings with polenta.