Polenta

You're about to walk into some contentious territory, so I suggest you prepare yourself.

Polenta is one of those foods that can be found pretty much anywhere (I mean, it's essentially cornmeal mush), but what you put on it drastically varies by region. Fry it and cover it with milk based beef gravy and you've done it Pennsylvania Dutch style. A tomato sauce? Northern Italian territory.

I know, I betraying my Sicilian roots here, but Polenta is tasty and I think it's status as a "peasant food" to the point where I know people ashamed to make it make it a little less of a betrayal.

There are Polenta stories in my family, though most of them involve my mother carefully explaining to me that my bisnonna would probably have never made polenta

All of this aside, I really enjoy the dish. It is a hearty and warm meal that reheats well and is a perfect dish to make large quantities of on cold night as we approach winter.

Polenta

[adapted from Food52]

[what you need]

4 cups ricotta whey (you can get the whey by making this recipe)

1 cup ground cornmeal

1 teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoons oregano

1 tablespoon parsley

1 tablespoon basil

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

[what to do]

1. Set up a double boiler. (several cups of water in one pan with another pan or bowl overtop)

2. Put whey, cornmeal and seasonings in the top of the double boiler. Stir carefully.

3. Cook until polenta is thick. This should take between 30-45 minutes.

4. Stir in cheese

5. Either top with gravy/tomato sauce and serve or separate into containers for storage and top with choice toppings later. I like to make large batches ahead of time for hearty lunches.