Polenta, a cooked cornmeal mush, is a classic Italian staple. It finds its way into many different dishes, where it is served fried, as a side, or as a sauce component. Creamy and delicious, polenta is a great compliment to many Italian meals.

Preparation List for Easy Cheesy Creamy Polenta

Servings: 4-6
Active Time: 50 min
Ingredients:
- 2 cups(475ml) cornmeal
- 1/2 cup(60g) grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
- 2 tablespoons(30g) unsalted butter
- 6 cups(1400ml) water + some extra warm/hot water
- salt and pepper

Cheesy Creamy Polenta Recipe

Getting Started. Add the 6 cups(1400ml) of water to a large pot. Add and dissolve enough salt into the water so that it be just tasted when fully dissolved. Put the pot over high heat until it boils.

Mix in Cornmeal. Once the water is boiling, using a whisk, slowly pour 2 cups(475ml) cornmeal into the boiling water while whisking, this prevents lumps from forming early on. The polenta should be evenly mixed into the boiling water. Add plenty of fresh cracked black pepper to the polenta and turn the heat down to medium.

Stir. Use a wooden spoon to stir the polenta and continuously scrape the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon to remove stuck on bits. If the polenta is starting to get very thick before it is cooked and it is hard to remove the stuck on bits from the bottom, try adding some more hot water to the pot and continue stirring. Brief breaks from stirring (about a minute or two) can be taken from time to time, however, most of the time will be spent stirring. Cook polenta, while stirring, until the grains are no longer brittle and the polenta pulls away (see the right picture below) from the walls of the pot (about 40 minutes).

Finish Polenta. Turn the heat off and pour in the half cup(60g) grated parmesan cheese or pecorino cheese and the two tablespoons(30g) of unsalted butter. Mix with a wooden spoon until the cheese is incorporated and the butter is melted and incorporated. Serve Hot.