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mary’s christmas polenta cunnsa

(1 rating)
sailboat avatar
Recipe by
Bonnie Beck
@sailboat
Route 66, AZ

Mary made this every Christmas. I always waited for the day after Christmas for her to bring over a plate for me. Mary's Mom always made it for Christmas and taught Mary to make it. It's a northern Italian dish Mary's Mom invented. It's an original from Mary's Mom that I am sharing. I know of no one other then Mary and her daughter who makes it. It was original made from veal. With the price of veal over the last few decades, Mary used other cuts of meat. And her daughter added the Italian Sausage. It's an over 100 year old recipe. My kids real don't like this. But I do.

(1 rating)
yield 12 serving(s)
prep time 30 Min
cook time 30 Min

Ingredients For mary’s christmas polenta cunnsa

  • 1 box
    1lb. 4oz. albers yellow corn meal
  • 2-4 c
    homemade broth from chicken, turkey, beef, or lamb (or if your a vegetarian us vegetable stock)
  • 1/2 lb
    parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 pt
    cream
  • SAUCE
  • you use your own spaghetti sauce, bottled or you can make mine and add whatever seasonings you like
  • 1 can
    mary's sauce...small tomato paste, plus 3 cans of broth or half broth and cream
  • pinch of sage, ground
  • 1/2 tsp
    nutmeg, ground
  • 1/2 tsp
    seasoning salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp
    cinnamon, ground
  • 1/2 tsp
    black pepper, ground
  • 1 tsp
    sugar
  • dash of garlic salt or powder
  • dash of cloves, ground
  • dash of allspice, ground
  • 4
    italian sausage, no casings (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp
    butter for polenta

How To Make mary’s christmas polenta cunnsa

  • 1
    Make your broth out of Beef, Chicken, Pork or Turkey. Do not use any onions, carrots or celery. Make your tomato sauce. In a large pot place 1 lb. 4 ounces of corn meal on a medium heat. Add enough broth to make the polenta very thick so that it doesn't fall off a wooden spoon, but will ploop off the spoon. Stirring constantly. Add the butter and stir.
  • 2
    Have a deep medium size roasting pan, buttered. Place a layer of sauce, a 1" layer of Polenta, layer of meat and sausage, a good layer of Parmesan cheese. Pour some of the cream on top. Keep layering until all the Polenta is used up. Ending with your sauce, cheese and cream.
  • 3
    Bake at 350* until bubbling hot. Serve with salad. Or serve as a side dish. I just finished making this and it's as good as I remember. :)
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!

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