Totally tubular

Pre-made polenta

Noshing & Sipping by Theresa Regli

Polenta, a staple of Northern Italian cooking for centuries, is tiring to make. The classic cornmeal mush takes an hour and a half of constant stirring and gradual pouring over a hot fire. As polenta has become more popular here in the New World, a few enterprising food companies have come up with the bright idea of selling polenta premade in a tube -- all you have to do is slice and cook. Elite Foods Inc. makes 16-ounce tubes of plain, wild-mushroom, and sun-dried-tomato polenta, while San Gennaro makes 24-ounce tubes of plain, green chili and cilantro, and garlic and basil polenta. Each sells for $2.50 to $3.50 at most supermarkets.

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