Gizzi Erskine's cheesy polenta

"Polenta is seen as a side dish in this country, but in Italy it’s often given a starring role. Real polenta needs a low slow cook – look at it like cornmeal porridge. It takes about an hour and involves a fair bit of work, especially as you come to the end of the cooking process. There are lots of myths about polenta, but in my experience, there’s not much that can’t be fixed by a really good beating with a whisk.

"When it comes to serving, the key is to keep both the polenta and the plate as hot as possible so it doesn’t start to set on the plate, and you want to serve it with something equally sumptuous, such as a sticky braise – or even alongside a quick stir fry of some bacon, prawns and spring onions. One of my favourite ways to eat polenta is with some charred corn shaved on top. But whichever way you serve it, take the time to make it properly." - Gizzi Erskine