A very simple, rustic, and flavorful dish, perfect for the winter season… Gratinated polenta with black kale, easy to prepare and very tasty, enriched with melted cheese and optional ham cubes. For the polenta, I used instant cornmeal, which cooks in a few minutes, then added the black kale sautéed in a pan and the other ingredients, before putting everything in the oven to gratin. Try this recipe, it’s really simple!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 3 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
- Energy 206.16 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 10.63 (g) of which sugars 1.93 (g)
- Proteins 13.10 (g)
- Fat 12.57 (g) of which saturated 7.22 (g)of which unsaturated 4.14 (g)
- Fibers 1.58 (g)
- Sodium 614.15 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 290 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 5.6 oz instant polenta
- 2.7 cups water (or the amount indicated on the package)
- 7 oz black kale
- 3.5 oz provola (or another cheese)
- 1.8 oz cooked ham (or speck, to taste)
- Grana Padano DOP
- breadcrumbs
- butter
- 1 clove garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools
- Baking dish
- Saucepan
- Pan
- Cutting board
Preparation
Wash the black kale thoroughly and clean it by removing the harder part of the stem. Cut the leaves into pieces, place them in a pan with a clove of garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt (1).
Add a little water and cook for about ten minutes or until the black kale is tender.
When done, transfer it to a cutting board and chop it.
Cut the provola and ham into small cubes.
Bring the water for the polenta to a boil, adding a pinch of salt. Pour the cornmeal in slowly and stir to avoid lumps. Cook the polenta for the minutes indicated on the package, stirring continuously (2).
Turn off the heat and add to the polenta, while it is hot, the black kale, cheese, cured meat, and a small piece of butter.
Butter the baking dish and pour in the seasoned polenta. Sprinkle the surface with a bit of grana and breadcrumbs, finally add some small pieces of butter, or a drizzle of olive oil (3).
Place the baking dish in a fan oven at 375°F and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a crust forms.
Gratinated polenta with black kale is ready to be served at the table, enjoy your meal!
Advice and Notes
If you have time, you can prepare the classic polenta with non-instant yellow cornmeal.
You can make the recipe in single-serving cocottes.
If you can’t find black kale, you can use spinach or mixed greens.
FAQ
What cheese can I use instead of provola?
Other stringy cheeses (scamorza, provolone, caciocavallo, etc.) work well. Otherwise, you can use fontina or just grated grana.
Can I omit the cured meat?
Of course, adding ham or speck is optional.
