Embark on a culinary journey with the delectable Torta de Polenta, a symphony of flavors rooted in the traditions of Brazilian cuisine. This savory pie boasts a golden crust crafted from polenta, the humble cornmeal that transforms into a delectable base. Within its embrace lies a rich filling of seasoned ground beef, succulent vegetables, and a captivating blend of spices that dance upon the palate. Accompanying this hearty creation are three enticing variations, each adding a unique twist to the classic recipe. The Torta de Polenta com Frango beckons with tender chicken, while the Torta de Polenta com Carne Seca tantalizes with the distinct flavor of dried beef. Vegetarians will delight in the Torta de Polenta Vegetariana, a vibrant tapestry of colorful vegetables. As you delve into these recipes, prepare to be captivated by the versatility and allure of Torta de Polenta, a dish that celebrates the bounty of Brazilian cuisine.
Let's cook with our recipes!
BASIC POLENTA
Dinner is easy with Giada De Laurentiis' Basic Polenta recipe from Everyday Italian on Food Network; it's the perfect cornmeal canvas for your favorite mains.
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories side-dish
Time 30m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted.
TORTA DI RICOTTA E POLENTA
Provided by David Frenkiel
Categories Cake Dessert Thanksgiving Wheat/Gluten-Free Ricotta Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Soy Free Kosher
Yield Makes 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the base of an 8-inch springform tin with baking parchment and set aside.
- Place the butter, half of the honey, the lemon zest and vanilla in a bowl and use an electric mixer to beat everything until creamy. Add the egg yolks and continue to beat for a further minute. Add the almond flour, polenta and ricotta and fold everything together.
- Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until softly peaking in a separate bowl. Add the remaining honey and continue whisking until peaking again and well blended.
- Slowly fold the egg whites into the cake mixture. Turn the mixture into the prepared cake tin and sprinkle the flaked almonds evenly over the top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The center of the cake might look slightly wobbly at first, but it will firm up when the cake cools down. Leave to cool completely before removing it from the tin.
LIDIA BASTIANICH'S POLENTA TORTA WITH GORGONZOLA AND SAVOY CABBAGE
Provided by Robyn Doyon-Aitken
Categories Main course Main Dish
Yield 6-8 people
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Pour the just-cooked polenta into the greased cake pan. Let stand until cool, then refrigerate until completely chilled, about 4 to 5 hours.
- When the polenta is firm, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 10-inch, 4-inch-tall springform pan, coat with bread crumbs, and shake any excess out of the pan. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan with ample salted water. Bring to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, remove any wilted or yellow leaves from the cabbage and cut out the core. Cut the cabbage into 1-inch chunks. Add these to the pot with the potatoes, and cook until both vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes more.
- Drain the vegetables thoroughly. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the thyme and garlic, and cook until garlic is just golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cabbage-potato mixture, the salt, and the pepper flakes. Cook, turning the vegetables occasionally, until the liquid is evaporated and the vegetables begin to sizzle. Mash the vegetables coarsely with the spoon as you turn them, leaving plenty of lumps. Be careful not to scorch the mixture-just cook it until the liquid has evaporated. Remove the garlic cloves (if they haven't mashed into the mixture) and discard.
- Invert the cooled polenta cake onto a cutting board. With a long, thin knife, slice the cake into three even horizontal layers. Place the top layer upside down in the bottom of the buttered 10-by-4-inch springform pan. Top with half of the potato-cabbage mixture and half of the Gorgonzola. Top the cheese with the center layer of polenta, and top that with the remaining potato-cabbage mixture and Gorgonzola. Place the bottom layer of the polenta cake upside down over the torta and press gently. Brush the top of the torta with the 2 tablespoons butter, and sprinkle with the grated Grana Padano. Bake the torta until the top layer of cheese is lightly browned and the torta is heated through, about 40 minutes.
- Remove, and let cool 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the sides of the springform pan, and cut the torta into slices to serve.
POLENTA TORTE
This is my favorite. To serve, spoon directly from the soufflé dish or for a spectacular presentation, bake in an 8 inch spring-form pan and unmold. Experiment with a variety of different greens. If frozen kale is unavailable, use all frozen spinach. Serve with grilled or roasted meats, or with a whole grain bread for lunch. A glass of Italian red wine would be a nice addition.
Provided by Olha7397
Categories Grains
Time 50m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Squeeze spinach and kale dry. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add spinach, kale, ham and pepper; sauté 4 minutes.
- Preheat oven to hot 400°F Butter 2 ½ quart soufflé dish, or line 8 inch springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil; butter sides and bottom.
- Bring 4 cups water to boiling in large saucepan. Stir together remaining 1 cup water, the cornmeal and salt in a bowl. Gradually stir cornmeal mixture into boiling water. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Spread 1/3 of polenta in prepared dish. Cover with half the greens, half the Romano and 1/3 of the fontina. Repeat layering one more time. Spread with remaining polenta; sprinkle with remaining fontina.
- Bake in preheated hot oven 400°F for 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. If using springform pan, remove sides. Makes 8 servings.
- MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS (HIGH POWER OVEN).
- Combine oil, onion and garlic in microwave safe 2 quart casserole. Microwave, uncovered, at 100% power 3 minutes. Add spinach, kale, ham and pepper. Microwave, uncovered, at 100% power 5 minutes. Transfer vegetable mixture to small bowl.
- Combine water, cornmeal and salt in microwave safe 2 quart measure. Cover with paper toweling. Microwave at 100% power 7 minutes. Whisk well. Microwave, uncovered, at 100% power 4 minutes. Whisk again. Assemble torte in same 2 quart casserole. Spread 1/3 of polenta in prepared dish. Cover with half the greens, half the Romano and 1/3 of the fontina. Repeat layering one more time. Spread with remaining polenta; sprinkle with remaining fontina. Microwave, uncovered, at 50% power 5 minutes. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
- The Family Circle Cookbook.
Tips:
- Use a fine-grained polenta: This will result in a smoother cake. If you only have coarse-grained polenta, you can grind it in a food processor or blender until it reaches a fine consistency.
- Don't overcook the polenta: The polenta should be cooked until it is tender but still has a slight bite to it. If you overcook it, it will become mushy and the cake will be dense.
- Let the polenta cool completely before adding the other ingredients: This will prevent the cake from becoming gummy.
- Use a light hand when mixing the batter: Overmixing will result in a tough cake. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Bake the cake in a preheated oven: This will help to ensure that the cake rises evenly.
- Don't open the oven door during baking: This will cause the cake to fall.
- Let the cake cool completely before serving: This will allow the flavors to meld and the cake to set.
Conclusion:
Torta de polenta is a delicious and versatile cake that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. Whether you like it plain or topped with your favorite fruit, nuts, or chocolate, torta de polenta is sure to please everyone at your table.
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