Definition

• All polenta products are made from cornmeal. Instant polenta has been further processed -- essentially partially pre-cooked -- to save time for the home cook. When you purchase instant polenta, you're buying cornmeal in which the processing stages include hydrating and dehydrating. The result is a grain that takes about one-third the time to cook as traditional cornmeal will. Some instant products promise to be ready for eating as soft polenta in as little as one minute.

First Step

• You'll need 4 cups of water for every 1 cup of instant polenta you use. When cooking either traditional cornmeal or instant polenta on the stove, the key is to add the grain slowly into boiling water, to which you've added 1 teaspoon of salt. Whisk the mixture with one hand while adding a thin stream of instant polenta to the water with the other. Turn the heat down until the mixture is bubbling occasionally, but not boiling vigorously. Check your brand for suggested cooking times. In general, you'll know it's thick enough for the baking stage when the mixture pulls away from the side of the pan during stirring.

Baking Stage

• To take instant polenta from the ready-to-eat, soft stage to a baked dish, begin by spooning it into a greased, oven-safe baking dish. It's important to do this soon after preparing instant polenta, because once it hardens, it is virtually impossible to spread. After putting it in the baking dish and smoothing it out, layer the polenta with the toppings of your choice, such as tomato sauce and grated cheese. It will be ready to eat after baking 20 to 30 minutes in a 350 to 375 degree Fahrenheit oven.

Variations

• You can dress up plain baked polenta in both the stovetop stage and the baking stage. When first cooking soft polenta, consider substituting other liquids for some or all of the water. Chicken stock or milk is the traditional liquid used in making soft polenta. Just before removing the pan from the heat, add grated cheese, spinach, cooked onions or other ingredients of your choice. This is also the best time to add the seasonings that complement your recipe, such as pepper and sage. If you prefer, prepare your other ingredients in a separate pan, and then alternate layers of plain soft polenta and this prepared filling. Polenta alternated with a cheesy mushroom filling is a good example of a layered baked polenta dish.