Ingredients
For Polenta
1 cup yellow cornmeal (fine)
1 cup yellow cornmeal (coarse)
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups boiling water (or more)
For Beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, whole [traditional method] or chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 cups dried white cannelloni beans or white pea beans (or 2 cans of beans, 19 oz each)
1 bay leaf (optional)
1/2 cup water in which the beans were cooked in
3 dried sweet red peppers
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot chillies (optional)
Seasonings (optional):
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
or
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
or
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Directions
To Make Polenta
Boil the water in a large pan. Add salt.
In a separate bowl mix the coarse cornmeal with the fine cornmeal.
Add the mixed cornmeal to the boiled salted water. Turn down the heat and stir with a wooden spoon (Take the pan off the heat and use a hand-held electric mixer if the polenta gets too lumpy).
Keep stirring for half an hour or so (add more warm water if the bottom starts to burn).
To prepare the beans:
Place dried white beans in water and soak overnight.
Cook soaked beans for about half an hour to an hour (the amount of time depends on the size of the beans). Add a bay leaf to the cooking (if desired).
Drain the beans, reserving the liquid.
Obviously, if one is using canned beans, steps 1 and 2, are not followed.
To make the sauce:
Peel garlic. Keep whole [traditional method], or chop.
Peel onion. Chop.
Crush dried sweet red peppers into bite-size pieces.
Heat olive oil in a deep pan.
Saute garlic and onion. Add crushed sweet dried red peppers.
Add beans. Add about 1/2 cup of water beans were cooked in.
Cook for about 15 minutes.
To Prepare Polenta with Beans
Place polenta in individual bowls.
Top with beans and sauce.
Garnish with seasonings (if using).
Serve warm.
Notes
Prior to World War II "polenta with beans" was strongly disliked -- most people ate it because it was the cheapest thing to make. Bread, pizza and pastas were available, but they cost more, so the poor had to ration the amount they served in a week. The poorer a household was, the more frequently they would be stuck eating polenta. The poorest of the poor would often serve polenta with just olive oil and garlic (no beans) a few times a week. That combination was generally detested by one and all. Even though polenta is making a come-back, personally I can see why the majority of subsistence farmers prior to World War II couldn't stomach it. Photo: Mary Melfi. |
