Italy Panorama

Polenta sulla Spianatoia

Polenta on a Board

Polenta is a common winter dish throughout Italy. It is warm, hearty and filling, the perfect hot remedy on a cold, blustery day. While polenta is particularly popular in the north, the central mountain regions have a traditional way of serving it that takes the humble dish to a jovial, communal level.

Polentone (big polenta) is also known as polenta sulla spianatoia, or polenta on a pastry board. It seems to have originated in Abruzzo – or at least they claim it as their own, calling this presentation polenta all’abruzzese – though the surrounding mountain regions of Marche, Lazio and Umbria serve it up as well.

Pouring out the polenta

The traditional method uses stone-ground cornmeal, which is cooked in a copper cauldron over a wood fire and is stirred with a long, thick wooden stick. Nowadays, many cooks prefer to opt for the quick-cooking polenta on a stovetop, which whittles the fatiguing stirring time from forty minutes down to about five minutes.

The polenta is cooked until it is soft but not firm, then it is poured out onto a pastry board and smoothed out with a wooden paddle. It is topped with a rich tomato sauce, dusted generously with aged, coarsely-grated pecorino cheese, and dotted with pieces of sausage or mushrooms.

Adding the sauce, meats and pecorino

This rustic dish is fun to eat; everyone gathers round the table and eats directly from the spianatoia. To get to the meat or mushrooms, you must fare una strada (make a path) to them through the polenta. Kids try to cheat and little fork duels erupt as each tries to protect their polenta turf. It is an entertaining and interactive meal, complimented with hearty red wine and good company.

Family, friends and food...a perfect combination.

Want to try it at home? Here’s a recipe.

Lots of various polenta recipes are found on Kyle Phillips’ site.