Polenta

A little bit of smoked mozzarella goes a long way in boosting flavor without adding much fat. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 hr

Two kinds of cornmeal are essential here: The fine cornmeal keeps the coating together, and the polenta makes it crisp.

A staple of Milanese cuisine, polenta is delicious here teamed with tomatoes and spinach, two other ingredients typical of the Lombardy region. The combination of Parmesan and Gruyère cheeses adds richness to the dish. If you prefer, the eggs in the center can be replaced with more spinach. Simply sauté ten ounces of fresh spinach leaves in one tablespoon olive oil, then divide the spinach among the cups. Serve these with Dolcetto d'Alba, a mild red wine from the neighboring Piedmont region.

Serve a nice bottle of Merlot alongside.

Maison Novelli offers this great entrée. You can find polenta and tapenade at Italian markets and some supermarkets.

This easy side dish would be great with the pork chops, the stuffed mushrooms, or the sirloin tip steaks. .

Tingly, salty, and irresistibly crunchy, this salt-and-pepper shrimp with cubes of crispy polenta (yes, from those tubes!) is a weeknight MVP.

This sturdy almond-polenta cake is a gentle landing spot for fresh figs, and also happens to be gluten-free. Swap figs for plums, raspberries, or blueberries.

Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, this smothered fried chicken with polenta and herb gremolata is perfect for a dinner party. 

Polenta alfredo, polenta mac ‘n’ cheese, whatever it is, this polenta is very creamy and cheesy. We like that.

For a moist cake, be sure to use finely ground polenta labeled “quick-cooking” or “instant”; cooking times listed on the package will be five minutes or less.