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X Italian Rice and Polenta Dishes
Polenta (baked and layered with meat sauce, Scamozza and Parmesan cheese)
Originated from: Italy
Occasion: Any time
Contributed by: Taken from "Specialita Culinarie Italiane" (Boston, 1937)

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Ingredients

For polenta
2 cups corn meal
3 pints water

Additions
1 quarter pound Scamozza cheese, sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, grated
1 pint meat sauce
Salt to taste



Directions

Add salt to boiling water. Add corn meal a little at a time,

stirring constantly. Continue boiling over a moderate fire for one-half hour, stirring continuously.

When the meal has become quite stiff dip a wooden spooon into hot water and with it detach the boiled meal from the side of the sauce pan, then hold the saucepan over the hottest part of the fire for a moment until the meal has become detached from the bottom of pan.

Turn out onto a bread board. (It should come out whole in a mould.)

Cool and slice about 1/2-inch thick with a wire.

Place slices on hot platters and pour sauce over them.

Put some of sliced Scamozza cheese on each of the meat, and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over all.

Repeat these layers, until polenta is used, and then bake in hot oven until cheese is melted.




Notes

This recipe was first published in the cookbook entitled, "Specialita Culinarie Italiane 137 Tested Recipes of Famous Italian Foods, Sold for the benefit of North Bennet's Industrial Training & Social Service Work in the North End of Boston." It was published in Boston, Ma. in 1937. The entire cookbook is available on line for free at "pds.lib.harvard.edu/pds/view." Image -- Pietro Longhi: Polenta, 18th century.

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