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My friend, Carolyn, lives in lower Manhattan. She has a view of both the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges and is just steps to Chinatown and Little Italy. We were actually born within blocks of each other…although we didn’t meet till we worked together on Park Avenue ‘a few’ years later.
She has often told me about the dishes her mother made that were traditional to Piacenza, the area in Northern Italy where her family came from. None intrigued me more than the polenta with porcini mushroom sauce. Carolyn told me that it required a special copper pot, a hand-crafted stirrer and, when done, it was sliced with sewing thread. This I had to see!
So we made a date to cook together when I was in NY last week so that I could journal the process. She has treasured her mother’s pot which looks like a pail and the handcrafted stick which is used to turn the polenta. (It looks a little like a hockey stick.)
Her mother traditionally served this dish with chicken cacciatore so Carolyn made that as well. We conspired on non-traditional bruschettas to start and a Creme Brulee for dessert. But first…
The Polenta Recipe and the Process. I’ll attest that it’s tough work stirring because I took a hand at it, but it goes relatively quickly. 
Now the layering and threading begins. Carolyn had pre-made a porcini tomato sauce which began the layering. I learned that using thread to cut the polenta resulted in sharp cuts whereas it would have stuck to a knife. Sauce, polenta, cheeses, sauce…repeat.
Going into the oven. 
And coming out…along with the Chicken Cacciatore. Yes, it’s like a polenta lasagna but the blue cheese gives it an unexpected punch.
Looks like one of the guests really enjoyed the meal. 
Come back tomorrow and I’ll show you 2 varieties of bruschetta that we served with cocktails — and the Creme Brulee I got talked into making. My first! 
14 Comments
Looks lip smacking good!
great combo…nothing like watching people enjoy themselves creating and eating and having a good time! Chicken cacciatore…says mid week fall/winter meal growing up to me…
I love this idea of cutting polenta into layers and it sounds amazing with the blue cheese!
That was really interesting and it looks really tasty. I have never been tempted to try polenta before, but this has changed my mind
I often use thread when slicing a cake into thin layers so was not surprised this would work for polenta. Wouldn’t we all love to have one of those polenta pans and tools, a real family treasure.
I was looking forward to this post and was not disappointed and neither was your friend by the look of her.
Having met the “Glam” Carolyn I had no idea she too was an impressive chef.
I was amazed at the process and enjoyed watching it all happen.
What a gorgeous tradition. I would treasure the pot, too. This is a complete meal on its own, clearly. A little unclear to me in parts – were all 4 cheeses added to each cheese layer – I can see they weren’t mixed together – just dotted on, then the porchini sauce, then the polenta… and it looks like the tomato sauce was only on the bottom and the top. I am not sure, though. Am I right?
I would love to try it and want to make sure I have it right.
(I want that pot!)
Valerie
The tomato sauce was made with the porcini mushrooms so it is the same sauce throughout. Just 3 cheeses…the recipe says munster or mozzarella. My friend used munster cheese and it was laid out to cover the polenta, the blue cheese just dotted as you suggest, and then the parmesan.
the layering goes like this:
Porcini mushroom sauce at the bottom then a layer of polenta, meunster cheese, dots of blue cheese then start all over again with the sauce. On the very top should be the sauce and a few shakes of parmesan cheese. Love this dish and you can’t have the pot!!!!!!
I never knew about the cooper pot. Very interesting. Thanks!
What a fascinating post. I’ve never seen this threading technique before with polenta. I bet the whole thing tasted amazing!
I love that pot, the story behind the pot, the stirrer and the feast you made with your friend! What a great way to spend the day with a good friend!
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