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Chicken wings. Nachos. Chili. Chips and dip. Meatballs. Sliders.
These are all foods you’re likely to find at watch parties for the big game on Feb. 8. Allow me to call a culinary trick play that’s sure to score by adding polenta tots to the menu.
Polenta is a coarsely ground cornmeal that became popular in northern Italy once corn made it over from the Americas. More often than not, it has a beautiful golden yellow color. As carbs go, polenta doesn’t rank as high as potatoes, bread, or even rice. You can find it in nicer restaurants with Italian leanings.
Polenta’s close cousin in the southern United States is grits, which is derived from different corn varietals and is often ground a bit finer than polenta. It’s usually paler white in color.
You can now find polenta in most larger Montana grocery stores. It will say “polenta,” and should not be mistaken for regular cornmeal or grits. It’s often in the same aisle as flour or dry grains, or with whole grains in the health food section.
But why would anyone want to make a “tot” out of it? First of all, I am a big fan of tater tots, either the OG version familiar from a million school lunches or the make-at-home frozen variety. Homemade tater tots from scratch, alas, are just too much finicky work to be worth it.
Enter polenta. This recipe is a breeze for all kitchen-skill levels. With just a few ingredients, a stint in the fridge, and a 30- to 40-minute bake in the oven, polenta becomes a crispy-creamy finger food guaranteed to wow your friends and family. My version includes a drizzle of garlic butter, Parmesan, and parsley over the top, which dresses it up for any occasion.
This recipe serves 4-6 people — not exactly party-size. But you can easily double or triple it, as long as you use a larger pan or multiple pans to firm up the polenta before baking. And while I’m a big fan of this garlic-and-Parm-topped version, there are plenty of ways to enjoy these tots. Pair them with your favorite marinara or dip, for instance, or top with chili and cheese.
POLENTA TOTS RECIPE
Serves 4-6
Tots:
1 cup polenta
2 cups of whole or 2% milk
1 1/2 cups of water
2 tbsp butter
3/4 tsp kosher salt
Topping:
2 ounces Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp butter
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
In a large saucepan on medium heat, add the milk, water and salt. As it comes to a simmer, whisk in the polenta. Drop the heat to low and whisk every minute or so for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the butter. Whisk until the butter is melted and incorporated.
Line a 9” x 9” baking dish with cling wrap. You want to run some wrap across the dish in both directions so you can completely wrap the polenta in it. Once the polenta cools a bit from its hot-lava state, pour it into the cling-wrap-lined dish. Give the dish a few shakes to nudge the polenta into the corners and let it level out. Pull the cling wrap over the top so all the polenta is encased.
The polenta needs to set up in the fridge for at least three hours, but you can also do this prep a day in advance and allow it to set overnight.
Once it’s set, remove the polenta from the cling wrap and place it on a cutting board. Gently soak up any moisture on the exterior with a paper towel. Now the polenta should be easy to cut into 1” by 1” by 2” rectangles with a sharp knife. You’ll get cleaner cuts if you occasionally wipe your knife with a paper towel as you go.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees on the convection setting. Double-line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Place the tots on the tray with one inch between them on all sides to ensure the heat can circulate. Sprinkle the tops with a bit of kosher salt, and then bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the tray from the oven, turn each tot 180 degrees, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
Now make the drizzle. Put three tablespoons of butter and 1-2 cloves of minced fresh garlic in a small sauté pan on medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, you only need to cook the garlic for a few minutes, just long enough to flavor the butter. Pulse two ounces of Parmesan in a food processor until fine. Finely chop one tablespoon of fresh Italian parsley.
When the tots are finished baking, add them to a large mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle with the garlic butter and toss gently with a spoon. Add the Parmesan and parsley and gently toss again. Serve immediately.
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