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baked polenta with yogurt garlic sauce
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5 from 3 votes

Polenta Loaf (Romanian Polenta Souffle)

Polenta loaf – a fluffy Romanian polenta souffle served with a delicious garlic yogurt sauce.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Romanian
Servings: 4
Calories: 427kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

  • Polenta loaf:
  • 9 oz coarse or medium cornmeal 250 g, Note
  • 4 ½ cups water 1 liter
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup grated cheese Gouda or Cheddar, 125 g
  • 2 eggs
  • Garlic sauce:
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt/ crème Fraiche or sour cream 250 g
  • 2-6 large garlic cloves to taste
  • 1 teaspoon medium mustard
  • fine sea salt and pepper

Instructions

Polenta loaf:

  • Stir polenta: Measure the water in a large pot. Heat the water but don't let it come to a boil (it helps against the formation of lumps). Add the salt. Slowly add the cornmeal while stirring or whisking (with an egg beater not a mixer) all the time. When all the cornmeal is incorporated, continue stirring or whisking shortly to make sure there are no lumps.
  • Simmer polenta: Turn the heat down, place a lid on top but leave a crack open. Stir every 4-5 minutes or so, but there is definitely no need to stir all the time. Cook according to packet instructions, medium cornmeal needs more or less 15 minutes, while coarse cornmeal about 40-50 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Add cheese: Take the polenta off the heat and stir in the grated cheese. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
  • Add eggs: In the meantime, separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff. Add more salt to taste to the polenta and stir in the egg yolks. Carefully fold in the egg whites.
  • Bake: Butter a loaf pan of about 30x12 cm/ 12x5 inches generously. Pour in the mixture and level with a spoon. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until nicely golden and set in the middle. Serve immediately with garlic sauce or as a side for dishes with sauce, meat or sausages.
  • Garlic sauce: Finely grate or press the garlic cloves. Stir into the yogurt/creme fraiche/sour cream with the mustard and add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Read the cooking instructions on the polenta packet just to know for sure how long the cornmeal needs to be cooked. I cook the polenta made with coarse cornmeal for 40 to 50 minutes and the polenta made with medium cornmeal for about 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the dish | Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 1100mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g