Dad’s Polenta and Bagnetto

Dad’s Polenta with Bagnetto

by Alice Jane-Marie Massa

On April 4, 1997, when I was (as the song title and lyrics say) “Back Home Again in Indiana” for my spring break from teaching, I finally asked my dad for two of my favorite recipes of his—polenta and bagnetto. In the living room of our Blanford home, I electronically brailled the two recipes as my dad detailed the recipes that have been such a part of our family traditions. While I carefully took the notes for the recipes, I had no idea that in eight short months we would be saying a final goodbye to one of the world’s best fathers.

Frequently, for Sunday dinner, the polenta was the centerpiece of our table. My dad was always the one who made the polenta. Of course, I remember his standing tall by the stove and stirring the cornmeal mixture in the heavy saucepan. One of us placed in the middle of our table a rectangular board and covered it with a linen cloth, the ends of which were tucked under the board. Then, my dad would sprinkle some dry cornmeal onto the linen cloth. When the polenta was of perfect consistency, my dad would drop the polenta onto the cloth. Slowly, the polenta oozed near the end of the cloth-covered board—a beautiful and delicious centerpiece. How my dad had a knack for making the perfect polenta!

Although a number of toppings can be served with polenta, my favorite has always been “bagnet.” (My family always pronounced “bagnetto” without the last syllable.) This recipe is not a red sauce; but what some people refer to as a “pink sauce” or, perhaps more aptly, a “rose sauce.” The bagnetto is served onto the individual portion of polenta on one’s plate.

Polenta

1. Soak one and three-fourths cups cornmeal in water for 20-25 minutes.
2. In a heavy saucepan, put one-half inch of water and one teaspoon of salt.
3. Bring salted water to boil, and add cornmeal mixture.
4. Lower heat, and stir frequently over a ten-minute period. (Add cold water, if necessary, to avoid stiff polenta.)
5. Polenta is done when it pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.
6. Carefully, dump polenta onto cloth-covered board, which earlier has been dusted with dry cornmeal.

Bagnetto—a Delicious Topping for Polenta

1. In a large skillet, melt 1-1/2 to two tablespoons butter.
2. Add 15-ounce can of plain, crushed (peeled) tomatoes.
3. Stir and crush tomatoes while cooking the mixture well.
4. Add four well-beaten eggs to tomato mixture.
5. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Lower heat; and stir until eggs are cooked, but soft.
7. Bagnetto should be placed in a serving bowl so that the bagnetto can be spooned over individual servings of polenta.

In October of 1997, during a fall break, my sister and my younger nephew (from Colorado) and I (from Wisconsin) were home again to visit my parents. With only a little help from my sister and me, my 84-year-old father prepared the polenta and all the trimmings for us one last time. Many people may say that a dinner at a five-star restaurant was his or her most memorable meal; however, I can assuredly tell you that my most memorable and blessed meal was that last dinner of polenta and bagnetto—prepared so expertly and lovingly by my dad.

Along with these two recipes comes the advice to avoid procrastination about writing down those special family recipes of your own family to share with younger family members, friends, and future generations. Family trees, like family traditions, do grow in our family’s kitchens.

Mangia! Mangia!

Alice Jane-Marie Massa
April 4, 2013, Thursday

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