Fried Polenta

By norsegal8

Better than french fries -- and a great snack or appetizer. You can use other dipping sauces, but the simplicity of a good marinara is hard to beat here.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon plus 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 cups basic polenta, freshly made and hot
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup marinara sauce

Details

Servings 30

Preparation

Step 1

COAT AN 11 X 7-INCH baking dish with 1 teaspoon of oil. Transfer the hot polenta to the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly to 3/4 inch thick. Cover and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Cut the polenta into 2 x 1-inch pieces. In a large, heavy skillet, hat the remaining 1/2 cup of oil over a medium-high flame. Working in batches, fry the polenta pieces until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the polenta to paper towels and drain. Place the polenta pieces on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining batches.

Transfer the polenta pieces to a serving platter. Sprinkle the polenta with the Parmesan cheese and salt and serve, passing the marinara sauce alongside.