Venetian polenta is a staple of the Veneto culinary tradition, served as a main course and often accompanied by fish and various shellfish. Once a humble dish and a substitute for bread, Venetian polenta is now the star ingredient of quick and tasty recipes, perfect for surprising your guests.
Venetian Polenta Crostini with Eggs and Sausage
This recipe comes from Donna Moderna. The ingredients are:
- 250 g quick-cook polenta
- 50 g pork sausage (or any sausage of your choice)
- 4 quail eggs
- 20 g butter
- pepper to taste
Method:
First, cook the polenta in 1 liter of salted boiling water, following the instructions and timing on the package. Once the polenta is cooked, transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread it out with a spatula or scraper to a thickness of about 2 cm. Let it cool.
Now remove the sausage casing and cut it into small pieces. Cut the polenta into disks using a cookie cutter or round mold, about 6 cm in diameter. Warm the disks in the oven. Meanwhile, cook the eggs in butter. Brown the sausage in a non-stick pan without adding fat, then assemble the dish.
Take the polenta disks from the oven, top each with one quail egg, season with salt and pepper, add the browned sausage, and if desired, garnish with a small sage leaf. And voilà, your Venetian polenta dish is served.
Variations and Tips
Venetian polenta crostini are a classic that can suit everyone’s tastes. You can make them at the last minute for unexpected guests and even use leftover polenta. Top the crostini with anything you like: cheeses, mushrooms, vegetables, meat, or even sweet ingredients like jams paired with cheeses, fruit, chocolate, and more.
Venetian Polenta Pizza with Mushrooms
This tasty recipe also comes from Donna Moderna, but it is very popular and can be made with your favorite ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 350 g quick-cook polenta
- 500 g button mushrooms
- 400 g tomato pulp
- 150 g mozzarella
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 sprig basil
- parsley to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
First, prepare the Venetian polenta following the instructions on the package. A few minutes before the end of cooking, stir in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Remove from heat, pour into a 26 cm diameter mold, and level the surface.
Now prepare the mushrooms: clean them carefully, wash, dry, and slice them. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add the garlic, and sauté the mushrooms for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, add parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
Now assemble the polenta pizza: spread the tomato pulp over the polenta, season with salt and pepper, add the mushrooms, the drained mozzarella cut into cubes, and top with basil leaves. Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for 10 minutes.
Variations and Tips
This Venetian polenta pizza can be topped as you like, with or without a tomato base, to make a classic or white version. You can create your favorite pizza, such as gorgonzola and apple, taleggio and pear, marinara, capricciosa, margherita, or buffalo mozzarella, and you’ll surely impress friends and family. If you don’t know how to make pizza dough, this version is perfect for you.
Venetian Polenta Balls
These tasty balls are ideal for an appetizer, served alongside various snacks and finger foods. This recipe also comes from Donna Moderna.
Ingredients:
- 200 g quick-cook/instant polenta
- 150 g crushed pistachios
- 40 g aged cheese of your choice
- 3 egg whites and 3 egg yolks
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Prepare the quick-cook polenta, following the instructions on the package. When it is ready and slightly cooled, stir in the 3 egg yolks and 40 g of cheese. Mix well, season with salt and pepper.
Form walnut-sized balls, wetting your hands to prevent the polenta from sticking. Then roll them in the beaten egg whites and coat with the crushed pistachios, like a breading.
Bake the balls at 200°C for about 10 minutes. If pairing with a wine, choose Marzemino novello.
Variations and Tips
For breading the Venetian polenta balls, you can use other types of nuts like walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts. An unusual and delicious pairing is with a sweet and sour sauce, or a reduction or balsamic vinegar syrup. You could also add tiny pieces of fruit like pears or apples to the mixture, which will pair beautifully with the aged cheese.
Using a polenta base, you can create balls with countless flavors, incorporating meat, vegetables, or any toppings you like. You can also shape the mixture as desired and bread and fry it in oil.
For more delicious recipes, follow updates in the Venetian Recipes section!
Fancy Glasses with Cotechino
This recipe is ideal for creating an impressive, quick dish suitable for any guest.
Ingredients:
- 1 quick-cook/precooked cotechino
- polenta to taste, quick-cook
- tomato passata as needed
- salt and pepper to taste
- oregano to taste
Preparation:
First, prepare the polenta following the instructions on the package, making it quite soft and liquid.
Meanwhile, cook the cotechino according to the instructions, and make a quick tomato sauce with the passata, also keeping it fairly liquid. Season with salt, pepper, basil, and a pinch of oregano if you like.
When all ingredients are cooked and removed from heat, assemble the dish. Use water or soda glasses for serving.
Place about 2–3 fingers of polenta at the bottom, add a slice (or half a slice, depending on the glass diameter) of cotechino on top, and finish with a teaspoon of tomato sauce. If desired, garnish with a basil leaf or a little oregano.
Variations and Tips
For a New Year’s Eve variation, also use lentils as a side, so you can use leftovers. This is a versatile dish like all the others proposed; it’s easy to impress guests by mixing various ingredients with polenta, even simple ones, which combined create a great visual and taste impact.
Venetian Polenta Bites with Apricot Jam
This sweet recipe is taken from Sale&Pepe and is an excellent alternative to savory preparations, perfect for an unusual snack or brunch.
Ingredients:
- 500 g leftover cooked polenta
- 100 g apricot jam
- 2 eggs
- 80 g sugar
- 50 g flour
- 100 g almond flour
- 50 g raisins
- peanut oil for frying
Method:
Soak the raisins in warm water for about 10 minutes, then drain and dry them. Take the leftover cold polenta, cut it into pieces, blend it, and add the eggs. When the mixture is smooth, add the almond flour, all-purpose flour, and sugar, and continue blending. Finally, add the raisins and mix well.
With the mixture, form walnut-sized balls. It is important to create a hollow in each ball, fill it with apricot jam, and seal well.
Now heat the oil for frying, ensure it is hot, and fry 5–6 bites at a time (not more to avoid lowering the oil temperature). Fry over lively heat for 2–3 minutes at most.
Drain the bites and let them dry on paper towels. Serve warm.
Variations and Tips
First, to prevent the jam from leaking out of the bites, choose a jam that is not too runny, or opt for apricot jelly. You can also use a different flavor of jam and substitute the raisins with small pieces of apple or dried fruit like prunes, dates, or apricots.
