You say polenta I say cornmeal....

I have a favorite story about my Dad.
My husband and I took my parents to a fancy Italian restaurant when we lived in New York. My Dad looked at the menu and laughed! Polenta was one of the expensive dishes listed.
He told us that polenta was a staple to all poor Italians during the depression. My Nona would heap the polenta on the plates of her kids. She would put one piece of meat and sauce on the top. The rule was you had to eat the polenta first~then the meat.
It was filling, delicious and CHEAP!

I love polenta! I hated to make polenta..... Until I found an easy recipe that makes creamy polenta~ free of lumps.

Pour water into a wide deep pot, stir in the polenta bake; stir; bake; stir done!
Add your sauce and enjoy..

8 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups polenta
2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil(butter)
1/4 cup fresh Parmigiana-Reggiano

Heat oven to 350. In a 3 or 4 quart oven proof pot combine water, salt, polenta and olive oil. Bake uncovered for 1 hour 20 minutes. Stir the polenta and bake 10 more minutes. Remove the pot and stir in the grated cheese. Let it rest for 5 - 10 minutes and serve it...
It may also be cooled and sliced, wrapped in wax paper and frozen.