Soft Polenta
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 cup polenta (coarse- or medium-ground)
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (more to taste, if desired)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 ounces parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated
- Bring 3 cups water to a full boil in a heavy pot. Simmer the remaining water close by.
- Add the salt and rapidly stir the water with a whisk, creating a vortex. Continuing to stir constantly, add the polenta in a thin stream into the vortex.
- Continue to stir after all the polenta has been added, then lower the heat to a simmer rather than a boil.
- As the polenta thickens, replace the whisk with a long-handled wooden spoon.
- Add the 1 cup of remaining water and continue to stir. Break up any lumps with the back of the spoon pressed against the pot.
- Continue stirring the polenta, reaching to the bottom of the pot as necessary, until it gets thick and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
- Taste the polenta to test tenderness; add additional water if necessary. The polenta can take 15 to 60 minutes to cook properly, depending on its type.
- During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the pepper and butter, then add the cheese.
- Remove from heat.
- If serving immediately, pour onto a large platter or into a bowl or individual dishes.
water, kosher salt, polenta, fresh ground black pepper, butter, cheese
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/soft-polenta-274368 (may not work)