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The Very Best Authentic Italian Polenta Cakes

By Paula |

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Do you find yourself with leftovers anytime you make polenta? Instead of zapping them in the microwave, consider creating an entirely new, but equally delicious, meal — polenta cakes!

Polenta Cakes on brown platter with cheese and wood background via bell'alimento

What is Polenta?

Polenta is an Italian staple, and it is amazingly versatile. It can be eaten so many ways that I can’t even count them all, but I’m happy and willing to try them all. Especially this style of polenta! Why you ask? Well, I was VERY excited when I was contacted recently by Scott who runs Sausage Debachery – Artisanal Italian Food Products.

This company pride itself on bringing  unique, top-quality, imported Italian food products to the homes of its customers. They scour the entire Italian peninsula to find the rarest food products, from apple vinegar in the Dolomites to prickly pear jam from Sicily. They even offer kitchen gadgets (hello gnocchi board!).

In other words, they’re right up my alley.

Scott generously sent me some of his products, and the first one I tried was the La Grande Ruota Fioretto per Polenta.

I could tell I was going to love this straight away. It was the consistency I am used to, the smell, the color … everything. And let me tell you, this stuff is incredibly creamy! *Swoon*

Plus, it’s made in the Veneto region, which is very close to where I spent many years in Friuli.

polenta cakes ingredients and tools wood background via bell'alimento

How Do You Cook Polenta Cakes?

Polenta is typically cooked in a huge copper pot known as paiolo. Sadly, I do not have one of my own, so I used a very heavy bottom pot and, of course, a wooden spoon.

This does require some attention — *ehem* I mean LOVE — while cooking, which basically equates to lots of stirring. This is how I get my exercise, so I don’t mind. Plus, I know what’s coming at the end of all that stirring is well worth the effort.

If you didn’t want to make the polenta into cakes, just stop here and enjoy the creamy goodness after cooking.

Polenta Cakes on brown platter with cheese and wood background via bell'alimento

While I do love creamy polenta, I also like the variation of the pan frying. It has a nice texture to the outside, and it’s still oh-so creamy and delicious inside. Perfecto!

Polenta Cakes on brown platter with cheese and wood background via bell'alimento

How To Make a Circular, Perfect Polenta Cakes

To achieve those perfect circles, I used a cookie cutter or glass. TIP:  Spray your glass with a little cooking spray prior to cutting the circles. This way, the glass just slides right off. (I won’t charge you for that one, lol.)

You can make the circles as small or as large as you like. Just remember the larger they are, the longer they’ll need to cook.

I served my polenta cakes with my Pollo al Marsala (aka Chicken Marsala). It was the perfect compliment to the luscious sauce of the Pollo al Marsala. All in all, it made for one happy plate.

Polenta Cakes on brown platter with cheese and wood background via bell'alimento

Yield: 6 polenta cakes

Polenta Cakes

Polenta Cakes on brown platter with cheese and wood background via bell'alimento

Polenta Cakes.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a large heavy bottom sauce pan bring water to a rolling boil. Season heavily with salt.
  2. Gradually add cornmeal, and stir with a wooden spoon until well-combined.
  3. Reduce heat to low. Continue to cook until mixture thickens. Stirring often. Remove from heat and allow to cool (approximately 25 minutes)
  4. Spray a casserole dish with a small amount of cooking spray. Line dish with saran wrap and set aside.
  5. Check polenta for seasoning. Add salt to taste.
  6. Pour polenta into the plastic wrap-lined dish. Add another layer of plastic wrap on top, and smooth it down directly on top of the polenta.
  7. Place dish in refrigerator to chill until firm. 2 hours to overnight.
  8. When you are ready to make the polenta cakes. Lift the polenta out of the dish. Remove and discard plastic wrap. Place polenta onto a cutting board.
  9. Using a round cookie cutter or round glass, make 6 polenta circles “cakes.”
  10. Place a sauté pan over medium heat, and add approx. 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
  11. When oil is hot, carefully place the polenta circles into the pan. Cook until a golden crust has formed on both sides, turning as little as possible.
  12. When polenta cakes are nearly finished, season with a smidge of pepper and a sprinkling of grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

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© Paula Jones
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Sides

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Comments

  1. chris says

    Holy Moly….love love LOVE polenta….Not sure why I don’t eat it more. Can’t wait to try these. 🙂 Yum!

  2. Amy says

    Mmmm…these look so lovely–AND versatile! 😀 Stirring just adds so much more appreciation to the mix 🙂

  3. bunkycooks says

    These look so yummy! I will have to make some polenta soon. I do not make it that often, but this has me wanting some! 🙂

  7. Rachel J says

    Just bookmarked this recipe and I can’t wait to try it! I’ve never made polenta before, so I have been really enjoying discovering it as a new Italian food. Ciao!

  9. Stephanie says

    I LOVE polenta…but my hubby hates it. These cakes look so delicious! I’ll have to make them the next time he’s not around. 🙂

  10. Betty Taylor says

    I would love to print your recipes but why does it have to print 10 pages to get one recipe? I don’t want all 10 pages and use up all the paper and ink that that requires. The polenta sounds wonderful and I would love to print it. Is there a way to print it without printing the whole book?

  11. roberta says

    Delicius with bacon, eggs and melted cheese.
    Diets always begin tomorrow.

    Ps
    Paula, It’s evident that you know all all Italian food.
    I’m a “polentona”. You know what I’m saying. Ciao from North Italy

  12. Barbara @ VinoLuciStyle says

    I first had homemade polenta cakes when I did a fundraiser last year for Susan G Komen. They were made by the honoree who is a vegan and I expected them to be bland and uninteresting but they were amazingly good (OK, I added the parm…duh!).

    These are beautiful and so much prettier than the squares cut from a pan, but then you always exceed expectations!

  14. Cathy says

    Yay thanks for this. These look wonderful. I also printed off your mussles recipe. I am blessed with a local Pacific Northwest mussel prying spot and males in my house who think it’s an adventure.

  15. Fuji mama says

    Mmmm, these look so good! I love polenta and I bet the crispiness of the outside against the creamy inside is divine!!!

  17. Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction says

    Very pretty… I have been meaning to make polenta for a while now. This might have been the push that I needed! I’m not sure why I’m so afraid of it… It’s just one of those things that has always scared me.

  18. Melanie says

    These look amazing! I do have a question, though. At the risk of sounding totally uneducated, would you serve this alone as a main dish or alongside something?

    • Paula says

      Ciao Melanie! Don’t be silly. I’m glad you asked! While it certainly can be eaten alone, I like to eat mine with something that has a nice sauce to it. I served it this weekend with my Pollo al Marsala {Chicken Marsala} & it was a perfect compliment to that dish. Hope that helps.

  21. barb says

    You know those sound much easier to make than I would have thought. I think I will try them out, thanks for the recipe.

  22. claudia says

    I love these and glad Greg posted I had missed this one its genius loved the individual ones, am going to try them today!

  24. Casey Angelova says

    These look like a welcome replacement to regular polenta as a side dish. While yours are savory a sweet cake might make a tasty dessert. Thanks for sharing!

  27. Claudia says

    I will be ordering from Sausage Debauchery again and again. These cakes are just a piece of Italy on the table. Perfect(o)!

  28. michal says

    this looks lovely! silly, but what are saran wraps? thank you so much for this.

  30. Evil Shenanigans says

    I love polenta cakes!! I once had some grilled polenta cakes smothered in a silky mushroom sauce. They were beyond delicious. Your polenta cakes sounds great to me because they are fried, and you know I love that!!

  31. AmyRuth says

    Ah, thanks! Just what I needed. I’m making polenta cakes for a brunch/lunch to go with a frittata. don’t worry …. it won’t all be yellow on the plate he he
    AmyRuth

  32. Anthony Allen says

    I’ve never had polenta in my life but is sounds amazing and it looks so crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside your recipe sounds great and I love the light on your photos, new follower 🙂 Thanks for your sharing!

  37. Nancy says

    Hi, Can these be made ahead of time and kept in the freezer after cutting them into round cakes? If so, would you reheat from frozen state or defrost in fridge first and then reheat?

  38. Williams says

    I love to cook, learn and update new recipes for my daily menu, which makes me always interested in my work. Today’s my lucky day, Polenta Cakes is great, just follow the instructions and everything is easy, I like that. Thanks for your sharing

  40. Laura says

    This polenta recipe is simple to make and so delicious and rich! Tastes just like the polenta at my favorite restaurant.

  41. Thomas James says

    Look yummy! One of my favorite Polenta Cakes, nice to see your recipe, easy to follow, will cook this for family this weekend.Thanks you!

  42. Kate says

    Thank you for the recipe. The polenta tasted delicious, but did not firm up nearly as much as expected, even after several hours, and I had to serve it in a more soupy form rather than cakes. Next time I’ll try with less liquid.

  43. Cake Shaper says

    It’s a fantastic recipe, and I tried it last night. The soft inner plus crunchy outer was an amazing contrast. Everyone loved it a lot. Thanks for sharing ?

  46. Callie says

    I’ve just tried it with some figs on the top : gorgeous ! Thank you so much for this recipe !

  47. Lori says

    AMAZINGGG… It makes my day already! My husband and girl so loved it. Thanks your receip!

  48. Callie says

    This polenta recipe is simple to make and so delicious and rich! Tastes just like the polenta at my favorite restaurant.

  49. Lori says

    Delicious! Family favorite. I make it vegan by using soy milk and daiya cheese.

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