Janelle Maiocco

Hi.

Welcome to my blog. I live in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle on an Urban Farm (w/ five laying hens and a huge garden). I am a trained chef (w/ a certificate in food preservation), taught at a cooking school & like to share 'kitchen hacks' - culinary tips that save time, money & maximize flavor. If that isn't enough, I also run a food+tech startup called Barn2Door.com - a platform to help everyone easily find & buy food directly from farmers, fishers & ranchers (from CSA's to urban farm eggs to 1/2 a grass-fed cow).

5 ideas for what to do with leftover polenta?

5 ideas for what to do with leftover polenta?

polenta www.talkoftomatoes.com
polenta www.talkoftomatoes.com

It almost makes you want to double the batch---having these ideas floating around in your head. OR maybe just make a batch of polenta, conveniently forget to serve it, then have the whole bulk of it for leftovers.

Polenta is a fantastic stand-in for pasta or potatoes, rice or risotto---a corny starch alternative. And it pairs fabulously with meat sauces (we adore soft polenta with wild boar ragu).

First, make the polenta. Then with whatever makes it past round one, place in container in fridge (perhaps a square dish, and pat the polenta in from 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick---you will want to slice it later).

Then go-to this list for leftover ideas:

1. I recently found Frank's blog: Memorie di Angelina (yes its in English, but chock full of Italian food, how-to's & grandma's original dishes). His post on polenta is actually what inspired me to write this one about 'leftovers.'

2. Or... maybe I was just looking for an excuse to re-post one of our family's all-time favorite dishes: Italian layered dish. Polenta is the cradle upon which this meal rocks.

3. Two vegetarian options from Dish 'n' That.

4. Scroll down Rambling Tart's post to find a recipe and pic of appetizer sized polenta-cheese-roasted pepper bites. I can almost taste them!

5. Oooh here is a quick one: Tartelette had the brilliance to make polenta croutons as as soup-topper!

p.s. Probably more than you wanted to know about polenta, but check out life in Italy in case you are a weirdo like me and always want to know more...

So, what do you like to do with leftover polenta?

Tuscan white bean spread

Tuscan white bean spread

you are just 6 ingredients away from the best-ever Tiramisu.

you are just 6 ingredients away from the best-ever Tiramisu.