POLENTA DOLCE
PG tested
“This is my great-grandmother’s recipe that was passed down to my grandmother and then to my mother,” Jessica George says. The recipe was written down by her grandmother but she didn’t include the directions, Ms. George says. So her mother clarified the steps some and Ms. George has further clarified it. Her mother’s note above the recipe says, ”We usually had this as a side dish at Christmas or Easter. It's great as dessert as well. It is wonderful!”
For the polenta
1 quart milk 1 lemon, zested ½ cup sugar ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup cream of wheat 3 egg yolks 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For frying polenta
3 eggs ½ cup milk 2 cups buttery crackers (like Ritz) pulverized Vegetable oil for frying Powdered sugar for dusting
In a medium saucepan, heat milk until it’s just ready to boil (don’t let it boil).
Add lemon zest, sugar, salt and cream of wheat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until it begins to thicken.
In a small bowl, add egg yolks and whisk them. Add a couple spoonfuls of the hot cream of wheat mixture in order to temper the eggs and prevent scrambling them. Then add the cream of wheat mixture back into saucepan.
Add lemon juice and vanilla extract. Cook about 1 minute more.
Pour into a buttered 9by-9-inch baking dish so that polenta is about 1½ inches thick. For thicker squares, bake in 8-by-8inch pan. This can be prepared a day ahead of time and kept refrigerated.
Before frying, cut polenta into squares.
For frying squares, beat eggs and whisk in milk in a shallow pan.
Pour the pulverized crackers into a second shallow pan.
Dredge polenta squares in egg mixture, making sure to coat completely. Then dredge them in the cracker crumbs.
Fry individual pieces in vegetable oil until lightly browned over medium heat. Be careful not to let oil get too hot as the squares will get dark very quickly. Remove and place on paper towel to soak excess oil. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. Makes 10 servings.