To serve 4
For the polenta
1/2 pint hot water
1/2 pint milk
1/2 pound finely ground polenta [cornmeal]
8 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Pepper and salt

For coating, polenta sliced
1 egg
Fine bread crumbs

Oil for frying

Tomato sauce for garnishing

"Cook the polenta for half an hour in a double boiler in the hot water and milk which have been mixed and brought to the boil. At the last minute stir in cheese and seasonings, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Spread on a moistened dish to cool. Beat the egg and when the polenta is cold, cut into slices, dip in egg and breadcrumbs and fry in hot olive oil until brown. Serve hot with Tomato Sauce (See 'SAUCES'). If you don't object to the slight stodginess, you may eat your polenta as it comes out of the saucepan, hot, without first waiting for it to cool, with any of the meat or tomato sauces under the heading of 'SAUCES', or just with butter and cheese, but for the average English palate, the cooled and fried or baked variety is preferable."

This recipe was taken from "Italian Cooking" by Dorothy Daly. It was published by Spring Books in Great Britain. For the complete copyright-free cookbook see www.archive.org. A variety of recipes from Daly's "Italian Cooking" can also be found on this website... Photo: Mary Melfi.

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