Polenta, The traditional Italian cornmeal recipe!

Polenta is a traditional Italian dish, which originates from the north of Italy. Although the name is synonymous with Italy, the dish is eaten in many other European countries, such as Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and some South American countries like Argentine, Uruguay, Brazil, and Mexico. For example, in the Portuguese Island of Madeira, a typical food very similar to polenta is called "Milho".

This Italian recipe is traditionally a slowly cooked dish made from boiled cornmeal. It usually takes an hour or longer to cook, and requires constant stirring.

When boiled, it has a smooth creamy texture. The western recipe is denser, while the eastern one is softer, which is probably due to the variety of cereal used. This is usually yellow maize, but buckwheat , white maize or a mixture of these are also used.

Formerly a peasant food, this traditional recipe was the bread of ancient times. It has recently been become very popular once more. Many new recipes have given new life to an item which is, in essence a fairly bland and common food, invigorating it with various cheeses or tomato sauces.

When cooked, polenta can also be shaped into balls, patties, or sticks and fried in oil until it is golden brown and crispy This variety is called "Crostini di Polenta" or "Polenta fritta". Similarly, once formed into a shape it can also be grilled using, for example, a brustolina grill.

The most famous Lombard recipe is Polenta e Gorgonzola, which is cooked with various cheeses and butter.