Sweet polenta
In the Bisenzio Valley and surrounding areas, sweet polenta was a nutritious and tasty way to consume the precious chestnut flour, often enriched with whatever the mountains had to offer.
Ingredients Ingredients
Serves 4:
250 g chestnut flour from the Bisenzio Valley
1 liter of water (or part water and part milk)
A pinch of salt
To garnish: fresh ricotta (traditionally with cow's or sheep's milk, widely used in the Apennines), granulated sugar or chestnut honey
Preparation
Sift the chestnut flour into a bowl to eliminate any lumps.
Pour the water (or water/milk mixture) into a pot or tall saucepan and bring to a boil, adding a pinch of salt.
When the water boils, remove the pot from the heat and slowly pour in the chestnut flour, stirring vigorously and continuously with a whisk or wooden spoon.
Return the pot to low heat and cook for about 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently. The sweet polenta is ready when it easily pulls away from the sides of the pot and has reached a dense yet soft consistency.
Serve the polenta hot by the spoonful. Traditionally, it is accompanied by plenty of fresh ricotta (often mixed with a little sugar) and, if desired, a drizzle of chestnut honey to enhance its rustic flavor.
