Parmesan Polenta with Sweet Tomato Sauce

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So, there are comfort foods, and then there are Comfort Foods.  

Regular comfort foods are things like pastina with eggs, which will make you feel better as soon as you take the first bite, especially if you eat it out of a Peter Rabbit bowl.

However, there are days when just about everything seems upside down, and those are the days that call for Comfort Food with capital letters.  And soft, creamy polenta with a gently sweet tomato sauce is Comfort Food with capital letters.

Now, while even if you aren’t in the midst of a day that calls for Comfort Food (and I hope you aren’t), it’s worth working yourself up into even a slightly bad mood just to have a reason to make this perfect, perfect supper.  

Even a rainy day will do in a pinch…that’s reason enough in my book.

What Is Polenta?

Polenta is an Italian staple made of cornmeal that has been cooked with water or chicken broth until it is soft and creamy. It can be served right out of the pot, usually with a sauce or topping like this recipe has, and it can also be chilled until it is firmed up, at which point it is cut into rounds or squared and fried.

Ingredients you need to make This super comforting polenta!

here’s how to make both the Polenta and the Sauce!

STEP 1: Start by making the sauce!  Heat a quarter cup of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add two 28 ounce cans of peeled tomatoes (drain them first), a peeled and chopped sweet onion, a chopped stalk of celery, a peeled and sliced carrot and a handful of fresh parsley and stir.

STEP 2: Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan leaving the lid just a little bit ajar and cook for an hour, stirring every now and then. If the mixture looks like it is getting too dry, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water.

STEP 3: When the veggies are soft, spoon them into a food processor and pulse them a few times, enough to break them down into a slightly chunky sauce. Return them to the pot with a tablespoon of butter, turn the heat up to medium and simmer for a few minutes. Taste it and add salt as needed.  

STEP 4: When the sauce has about 30 minutes to go, it’s time to make the polenta.  Bring 3 ½ cups of  water to a boil in a medium pot. Add a pinch of salt and reduce the heat to medium low.

STEP 5: Add 1 ¼ cups of fine cornmeal to the simmering water in slow steady stream, whisking constantly. Simmer, stirring now and then, until polenta is soft and cooked through, about 30 minutes.

STEP 6: Stir in 2 tablespoons each of butter and cream and a cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese. Taste and add more salt as needed.  

STEP 7: We are now ready to serve up some serious comfort food.  Spoon the polenta  into four bowls and make a well in the center of each, ladle on a generous serving of the sauce and give it a sprinkle of Parmesan.  If I have any basil hanging around, I scatter a little of that on as well. Take a nice big spoonful.  Feel much better.

more tips for making this Polenta Deliciousness!

Aren’t you feeling better already?

Comfort food…it’s almost always the answer!