Whenever I use dried porcini mushrooms in my recipes, I boil water in a kettle and steep them in scalding hot water, much like you would to make hot tea. Then I reserve the liquid, generally to make risotto ai funghi or mushroom rice.

Not sure how that would work with polenta, but it does certainly sound interesting. I'll have to try it. Normally Italians just make plain polenta, corn meal boiled in salted water. What gives the polenta its flavor kick is normally a tomato sauce, often flavored with Italian sausage, poured on top.

Grilled or fried polenta is common, as well.

My husband really likes Polenta but I have never made it before. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who could walk me through the process of making it.

This must be regional..or something. My mother was napolitano. I never even heard of polenta. She didnt make it, nor did my sicilian grandmother (fathers side). My inlaws are napolitano and I dont recall her ever making it either..she did make cornbread tho which she served when she made minestra.

Oh my grandfather used to love corn bread. I remember once when I was really young going on a school trip and using my spending money to buy corn meal/flour (not sure which it was now) so my mother could bake something for grandpa. Wow - that memory just came out of no where. Thanks for making me think of it.

I didnt even know italians made cornbread until I met my husband. His mothers cornbread was similar to a corn muffin, only not as sweet..and a bit more coarse. She was born in Pennsylvania..it could be that was where this cornbread came from. I dont know any NY Italians that made it..lol