polenta

American  

[poh-len-tuh] / poʊˈlɛn tə /

noun

1. (in Italian cooking) a dish made from coarsely ground yellow corn boiled to a thick consistency and then often cooled and baked, seasoned, and usually served with any of various sauces, toppings, or garnishes.

   This recipe for creamy polenta with roasted cherry tomatoes and spinach is cheesy, filling, and flavorful.

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polenta British  

/ pəʊˈlɛntə /

noun

1. a thick porridge made in Italy, usually from maize

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Etymology

Origin of polenta

First recorded before 1000; from Middle English pol(l)enta “fine meal; porridge made of fine meal,” Old English polente “parched grain or meal,” from Latin polenta “hulled, crushed grain; barley meal”; reborrowed in the 18th century from Italian polenta “kind of dish made of refined corn (or other) meal”

Example Sentences

A braised beef ragù that’s great on top of pasta or a creamy polenta, or as a stew if you add more vegetables.

From The Wall Street Journal

Spoon it over a comforting bulk grain — pasta, rice, polenta, beans — top it with a single egg, and it will set you right almost every time.

From Salon

They have some kind of polenta dish with eggs.

From Los Angeles Times

If you’re expecting vegetarian guests at your own table, I highly recommend it as a meatless main, over polenta.

From The Wall Street Journal

It brings an earthy heft that you can’t get from flour alone, like the bite of a cornmeal-crusted pie or the dense texture of a polenta cake.

From Salon

Related Words

• gruel
• oatmeal