Polenta Toscana
Submitted by tre
Polenta Toscana with rosemary and toasted walnuts sauteed in olive oil, stirred into creamy polenta. Serve it soft or cool it and slice into crostini. A simple Tuscan vegetarian side or appetizer.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minTuscan cooking at its most honest: polenta enriched with rosemary and walnuts warmed gently in olive oil. Five ingredients, no tricks, and every one of them pulls its weight.
The walnut-rosemary mixture gets sauteed low and slow for 5 minutes. You want the oils to release from the rosemary and the walnuts to turn fragrant without browning. Browning means bitterness here, and this dish is all about earthy warmth, not toasted crunch.
Stir the mixture into the polenta during the last 10 minutes of cooking so the flavors have time to meld but the walnuts still have some texture when you serve.
Kitchen Tips
- Keep the heat at medium-low when sauteing the rosemary and walnuts. The line between fragrant and scorched is thin.
- For soft polenta, serve immediately straight from the pot. For crostini, pour into a greased pan, let it set completely, then slice and grill or pan-fry until crisp on the edges.
- Use coarse-ground polenta for more texture and a rustic Tuscan feel.
Variations
- Stir in a handful of grated Pecorino Toscano right before serving for a salty, sharp finish.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the olive oil along with the rosemary for gentle heat.
- Swap walnuts for pine nuts for a softer, butterier crunch.
Ingredients
Directions
Warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a small, heavy sauté pan.
Add the rosemary and walnuts and sauté for 5 minutes.
Do not let either one brown.
Sprinkle the walnut mixture with salt and pepper and stir into the cooking polenta about 10 minutes before it is completely cooked.
Continue stirring and cooking until the polenta is ready to serve.
Serve immediately or cool to make crostini.
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