What is....

Polenta is ground cornmeal that is boiled to a porridge like state. If you let it chill you can cut it into squares then pan brown, bake, or grill it. Or you can press it into a pan and use it like a pizza dough. My brother made some for me one time, he loves to cook Italian, and served it with some awesome red sauce!

As those before me have stated it is boiled cornmeal. When I was growing up at my grandmother's we would have this every so often for supper or breakfast. Sometimes she would make it with meat broth and bits of meat. Then when it as cooled and set she would fry it and serve it with syrup. It is also known here in the States as Indian pudding. It is good when hot with sugar and butter though some like to put milk on it too.

It's a coarse ground cornmeal. It cooks up in less than 30 minutes in a pot of boiling water. You have to keep stirring to prevent lumps. My mom made this about once a month when I was growing up. She'd serve the cooled "mush" with tomato sauce and sauteed peppers and parmesan or with ricotta. You can also slice it, fry it in a pan, and serve with maple syrup.