Polenta has similarities to the hominy grits that are popular in the Southern United States. In this way polenta, grits and other “mush” type foods share a common link as the food of poverty. However in ancient times, what would later be called polenta started out as one of the earliest and simplest foods made from grain. Made from wild grains and later from primitive wheat, faro (a popular Italian grain), millet, spelt or chickpeas, the grain was mixed with water to form a paste that was then cooked on a hot stone. In this way, early polenta may have pre-dated leavened bread, since yeasts were often hard to come by and milling techniques were not yet refined.

            In Roman times, polenta (or as they knew it, pulmentum) was the staple of the mighty Roman Legions and would eat it in either a porridge or in a hard cake-like form, much like today. By this time, milling techniques had greatly improved and the course grind favored for pulmentum had mostly been replaced by farina, a flour. However even though bread was widely available in Ancient Rome, the legions and the poor alike preferred the simplicity and tastiness of their early polenta. For the next few centuries, nothing changed in the history of polenta, much like the living conditions of those who ate it most – the peasantry. However things would slowly improve for polenta, if not the peasantry – the first was the introduction of buckwheat into Italy by the Saracens.

This nutritive grain – known as grano saraceno is still popular in Tuscany for making polenta near and adds a distinctive flavor that was widely favored for centuries. Buckwheat polenta would eventually fall out of favor when a crop from the New World arrived in Italy sometime in the 15th or 16th centuries known as maize. From then on most of Italy’s polenta consumption was made from corn, which ranges in color from golden yellow to the Veneto’s white polenta.

Much of Italy’s polenta is still made the tedious old-fashioned way using a round bottom copper pot known as a Paiolo and a long wooden spoon known as a Tarello. The process to make a soft polenta involves a 3 to 1 ratio of water to polenta and constant stirring for up to 50 minutes. Purists insist that only a wood fire guarantees real polenta, but slow heat from any kitchen range will do. The most important thing is to stir the cornmeal slowly into boiling water after adding salt. To prevent the polenta from getting lumpy, a whisk may be used initially.

            When the contents of the pot have reached a certain degree of consistency, continue to stir slowly, always in the same direction, perhaps adding a little more cornmeal. The polenta is ready when it no longer sticks to the sides of the pot, which remain covered with a thin crust. If the mixture becomes too thick or solid, add a little boiling water or milk and keep stirring, stirring.

            Polenta is poured and spread out on a wooden board, often racquet-shaped, and is cut into slices with a cotton string or a wooden knife.