Recipe: Polenta (4) and Gnocchi (3) recipes for Kithyboo

Basic Polenta

9 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1 pound polenta

Combine water and salt in a saucepot, over a high flame. Bring to the boil and slowly stir in polenta. Heat and stir for 20-30 minutes, until mixture pulls away from sides of pot. Pour out onto a lightly moistened platter. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Apple and Sausage Polenta
This recipe yields 8 servings

8 oz bulk pork sausage
3 small green apples peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
2/3 cup maple syrup
1 package polenta mix - (6.6 oz)

Cook sausage in medium skillet, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from skillet; drain.

Add apples and 2/3 cup syrup to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until apples are tender.

Prepare polenta mix according to package directions; transfer to large bowl. Stir in sausage and apples; serve warm with maple syrup.

Bacon and Cheese Polenta Squares

1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 jalapenos
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 eggs, beaten slightly
1/2 cup whole kernel corn
1/4 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Line an 8-inch baking pan with foil. Grease foil.

Bring margarine and stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually pour in cornmeal, stirring constantly. Add jalapeno, onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring over medium heat 5 minutes or until thick.

Remove from heat; stir in bacon, cilantro, eggs and corn. Spoon into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven; let stand 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. Cut into 1-inch squares.

Baked Polenta with Mushrooms

6 cup polenta, cooked
1 garlic clove, quartered
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp basil, chopped
1 pinch dried red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F.

Spoon polenta into an oiled 8x12-inch baking dish and set aside.

Saute garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat until garlic begins to brown. About 5 minutes. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and discard.

Add mushrooms and saute in flavored oil until they soften. They will only need 5 minutes or so. Stir in the basil, red pepper, salt and pepper.

Spread evenly over prepared polenta and bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Gnocchi

8 medium potatoes
2 cup flour (instant flour is recommended as it won't lump)
1 egg
6 quart boiling water
4 cup favorite tomato sauce
favorite grated cheese

Boil potatoes in jackets until well done. Cool a little. Peel and put through ricer; then place on floured board and mix well with flour and egg. Some potatoes require more flour than others. Knead potato dough well.

Pinch off pieces of dough, roll into finger thin rolls and cut into pieces 1-inch long. Place on a floured towel. Press each piece lightly with a fork.

Place about 30 gnocchi in boiling water. When they come to the surface, remove from water with strainer and place in serving dish. Keep water boiling briskly. Repeat until all are cooked.

Add sauce to the cooked gnocchi; mix well; sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Gnocchi Al Pesto

300 gm red potatoes
1/4 tsp salt/pepper
100 gm plain flour
25 gm butter
1 egg yolk
1 egg whole
flour for dusting
fried basil leaves for decoration

PESTO
1 handful basil leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
30 gm pine nuts
25 gm parmesan

Bake the potatoes in their jackets until cooked. Remove the jackets and mash with a potato masher or a fork and place in a bowl. Mix in the flour, egg, and butter with a fork and add the seasoning whilst still hot.

Mould into balls the size of a walnut. Dust with flour and shape/flatten with the back of a fork. Poach in water for approximately 4-5 minutes, then drain carefully.

Pesto: Mix all the ingredients together in a processor. Place gnocchi on a plate and coat with the sauce.

Gnocchi Cheese Bake

1 lb fresh potato gnocchi
1 oz butter, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3 1/2 oz fontina cheese, sliced
3 1/2 oz provolone cheese, sliced

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.

Cook the fresh gnocchi, in batches, in a large pan of boiling water for about 2 minutes, or until the gnocchi rise to the surface. Carefully remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain well.

Put the gnocchi in a highly greased ovenproof dish. Scatter with the butter and parsley. Lay the fontina and provolone cheeses over the top of the gnocchi. Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.