Pecorino And Pepper Polenta Recipes

PECORINO-AND-PEPPER POLENTA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine 4 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil. Whisking constantly, gradually add cornmeal. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, whisking often, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and stir in Pecorino and butter. Serve immediately, sprinkled with more pepper.

GRILLED POLENTA WITH PEPPERS AND PECORINO

Steps:

• Preheat a clean, seasoned grill to high heat.
• Grill the chiles and bell peppers until charred all over, 3 to 4 minutes per side, then immediately them to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the blackened skins and remove the stems and seeds. Finely dice the peppers and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pour 4 1/2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a heavy-bottomed pot set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. In a slow, steady stream, add the cornmeal while whisking vigorously to incorporate and smooth out lumps. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring continuously for the first 2 to 3 minutes. Cook the polenta until thick, and it begins to pull away from the sides of the pot, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the diced peppers, the Pecorino-Romano and butter.
• Grease a quarter-sheet tray with the oil. Pour the polenta on the prepared sheet tray and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Cut the polenta into squares, then brush the squares with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the polenta on both sides to create grill marks and heat through, 3 to 5 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.

PASTA WITH PECORINO AND PEPPER

Steps:

• Place the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle and crush them until you have a mixture of coarse and fine bits. (You can also grind them in a small food mill or coffee grinder.) Set aside.
• Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package until al dente. Ladle 1 cup of the pasta cooking water into a glass measuring cup and reserve it. Drain the pasta quickly in a colander and return the pasta to the pot with a lot of the pasta water still dripping.
• Working quickly, with the heat on very low, toss the pasta with 1/2 cup of the grated Pecorino, the crushed peppercorns, cream, butter, parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt, tossing constantly. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved cooking water. Off the heat, toss in the remaining 1/2 cup Pecorino. Serve immediately with a big bowl of extra grated Pecorino for sprinkling.

SPAGHETTI WITH PECORINO AND BLACK PEPPER

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta; return to pot.
• To pasta in pot, add 1 cup reserved pasta water. Gradually add 1 cup Pecorino, tossing constantly with tongs until cheese is melted; add pepper. Toss to coat pasta lightly; if desired, gradually add a little more pasta water to thin. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, and serve immediately.

POLENTA WITH PEPPERS

Steps:

• Whisk together oil, vinegars and salt and pepper. Add peppers and shallot. Set aside to marinate.
• Cook polenta according to package directions and stir in the cream and butter at the end. Season with salt and pepper. Immediately pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread evenly. Set aside to set and cool.
• Cut rounds of polenta with a cookie cutter. Top with peppers and a basil leaf.

POLENTA CACIO E PEPE

Steps:

• Whisk polenta and 4 cups water in pressure cooker until combined. Season with 1 tsp. salt and several grinds of pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high, whisk again, then seal pressure cooker according to manufacturer's directions. As soon as cooker hits high pressure, set a timer for 9 minutes. When timer goes off, remove from heat and manually release pressure. Carefully open lid and whisk polenta until homogenous and creamy.
• Whisk butter into polenta, then gradually add 4 oz. Pecorino, whisking until melted. Taste and season with more salt, if needed, and lots of pepper.
• Transfer polenta to a wide shallow bowl and top with more cheese and coarsely grind more pepper over.

PEARS AND PECORINO CHEESE

Steps:

• Slice the cheese thin and divide it among four plates. Cut the pears into quarters, core them and slice the quarters thin. Divide them among four plates.
• Warm the honey in a small saucepan and pour it lightly over the pears and cheese. Grind pepper over each plate and serve.

TRUFFLE, PORCINI, AND PECORINO CHEESE POLENTA

Steps:

• For the polenta:
• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, bring the water to a boil and add the kosher salt. Slowly stir in the polenta with a whisk, then reduce to a simmer. Continue stirring this mixture until all of the lumps are smoothed out and the polenta is fully incorporated. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour-the polenta should bubble slightly-stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. (Be sure to scrape the bottom as you go, to prevent sticking.) Toward the end of the simmering, remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the kefir.
• For the mushrooms:
• While the polenta is cooking, in a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the porcinis, evenly distributing them over the bottom of the pot. Let the mushrooms sit, without stirring, until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. (Do not stir them too early; listen for the sizzling sound of moisture evaporating before stirring.) Once the moisture has evaporated, give them a quick stir, then remove the pan from the heat.
• To plate:
• Ladle the polenta into a medium/large shallow bowl, topping with the mushrooms and pecorino cheese. Sprinkle the entire platter with the truffle salt or the truffle oil or shave the fresh truffle over it; don't use more than one of these options or it will overpower the dish. If not using truffle salt, sprinkle with a generous pinch of Maldon sea salt.