📋 Italian Crispy Pan Fried Polenta

📋 Italian Crispy Pan Fried Polenta

Fried polenta is a traditional side dish popular in Northern Italy made with leftover polenta. Crispy outside and creamy inside, it is an easy gluten-free replacement for the pasta to serve with rich meat or vegetable stew or ragu. Traditionally, it is often served with abundant cheese and mushrooms.

Course Side Dishes

Cuisine Italian

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword crispy polenta, fried polenta, pan-fried polenta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 15

Resting time 1

Total Time 2 25

Servings people

Calories 234kcal

Author Laura Tobin

Equipment

Ingredients

Make the polenta

2 cup Polenta Taragna
4 cup water
½ tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
freshly grated Parmesan to sprinkle on top

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the polenta

Fill a large cauldron with salted water and bring to boil.
4 cup water, ½ tablespoon salt
Once it is boiling add the polenta gradually stirring with a wooden spoon, making sure there are no lumps.
2 cup Polenta Taragna
Stir continuously for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the polenta detaches from the edges of the pot. If you lift the spoon it will stay attached.
Pour the polenta over a large wooden base or over a large oven tin covered with greased foil. You can brush it with some olive oil.
Spread flat and uniformly with a spoon.
Wait for the polenta to cool down completely, about 1 hour.

Frying the polenta

Cut the polenta into rectangular sticks (3'X1.5' - 8cm X 4cm)
In a pan warm up olive oil and butter
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter
Place the polenta cakes and fry
Turn onto the other side once the polenta gets a brown color
Place on a serving plate
Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese while still warm and serve immediately
freshly grated Parmesan

Video

Notes

As a shortcut, you can either buy instant polenta which needs only 15 minutes to make, or the already made tube polenta
If you want to make it perfectly flat cover it with parchment paper and roll it with a rolling pin.
I like to fry the polenta with a mix of olive oil and butter as they give more flavor. If you prefer you can use only one or the other or use vegetable oil for a milder flavor.

Nutrition