Grilled Polenta

Like creamy polenta, grilled polenta can be served with sweet or savory toppings. Sweet toppings could include maple syrup, whipped cream or sweet cheeses. Savory toppings could be anything from sauteed vegetables to meat sauces. I especially liked the poletna topped with mascarpone cheese and honey. For a savory topping taste test, I sauteed some finely chopped onions with some pesto, pancetta and tomato. The pancetta topping was delicious.

In preparing this post, I tried making grilled polenta two ways. First, I used leftover creamy polenta that had cooled and formed into the shape of a bowl, that I then sliced and grilled. Also, I used store bought polenta, that just had to be sliced and grilled. I had trouble with my leftover polenta not keeping its shape as it was grilled, so I suspect that I should have cooked it for a few more minutes to cook out a little more water. For this post, I used the pan-searing method, but an actual grill could be used. The outside of the grilled polenta will be crispy, while the inside will remain creamy.

Grilled Polenta 

• Cooled leftover Creamy Polenta
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

Add the olive oil or butter to a skillet pan and put over medium heat. Slice the polenta into quarter or half inch thick slices. Place the polenta on the heated skillet and cook each side until done, about 5 to 10 minutes per side. Top the grilled polenta with you favorite topping. Enjoy!

Creamy Polenta

Like me, Mom grew up with her Grandma, who owned an apartment building with an apartment for each of her three daughters and their families. When Mom was young, her Grandma used to make her creamy polenta. In fact, Mom ate polenta so much, that she got sick of it and never made it herself. This was too bad, because polenta is delicious and filling, especially on a cold winter day.

Here, I have included two photographs of my Great-Grandma, Angela Briglia Sarlo. The first picture shows Great-Grandma with her three daughters: Aunt Mary, Grandma Josephine, and Aunt Helen. The second picture shows Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa on their wedding day. On the back of that photo (shown below), Grandma had carefully written certain key information:
Joseph Sarlo
Angela (Briglia) Sarlo
Married Feb-1904
Joseph born Feb. 3, 1880
Angela born April 16, 1882
Joseph died Oct. 8, 1935
Angela dies April 7, 1966
Angela arrived from Italy 1903 November

There are many recipes for polenta that call for all sorts of toppings, such as mushrooms, pancetta, cooked tomatoes. Polenta can be a base for anything that you might add to pasta, you could add to polenta. While many recipes have savory add-ins, there are also some recipes for sweet add-ins, such as honey or maple syrup. The sweet add-ins sound right up my alley, so I plan to try them next time.

The recipe below makes enough polenta for 3 or 4 good-sized servings. When the polenta cools, it takes on the shape of the container it is in. Leftover polenta can be sliced or cubed before being roasted, grilled, or deep-fried. To make it creamy again, warm it with a little milk or water, and stir vigorously.

Creamy Polenta 

• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
• 2 Tablespoons butter

Optional add-ins or toppings:
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Peas

Bring the water and salt to a brisk boil over medium-high heat. While stirring gently, slowly pour the polenta into the boiling water. Turn down the heat to low and continue stirring to eliminate any clumps. Cover the polenta and continue cooking for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir vigorously every 10 minutes or so, making sure to scrape the sides, bottom, and corners of the pan. In the last few minutes of cooking, stir in the butter. If desired, add in peas and cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Grandma's Ricotta Cake

In going through Grandma's index card recipes, I can tell a recipe was popular because there is more than one copy, as I did with this cake. I started my 2013 blogging with Grandma's Italian Cheese Cake, made with ricotta, so now, I am starting my 2014 blogging with another of Grandma's cakes using ricotta. This cake is a basic yellow cake topped with something of a layer of ricotta cheese cake. It is delicious. The ricotta adds a wonderful richness to the standard yellow cake. And, of course, sprinkling the top with powdered sugar makes it a classic Italian dessert. This cake would be an ideal cake to take to a pot luck as it can be served out of the baking dish. It is a rich and delicious cake.

Grandma's Ricotta Cake 

Cake (use a box cake mix or the ingredients below)

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs

Ricotta layer

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups ricotta

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the cake ingredients together. Spread the cake batter in a greased 9x13 pan. In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta layer ingredients. Pour the ricotta mixture over the cake mix as evenly as possible. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!