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| Chef Guido's polenta cakes with strawberries |
There was a time In Italy when wheat flour was scarce and expensive for many. This was certainly true during the Renaissance, but also during the 19th century and again during WW2. Since the discovery of the Americas a new, cheaper ingredient was available: maize flour (or corn meal, or polenta flour). A little wheat flour could be added to polenta flour and this would make the softest, most delicious bread. Adding a little sugar and raisins would produce a cake that was simply irresistible.
With strawberries and a rum sauce, this 'poor cuisine' classic from Lazio, Tuscany and Umbria can today become a refined, well presented and well balanced dessert.
Tortino di polenta con fragole.
200g of fine maize flour, 160 g of butter, 125g of sugar, a pinch of salt, 70g of wheat flour, 2 eggs, 80g of sultanas, 150g of single cream, a little rum, strawberries.
For the cakes: Mix eggs with 65g of sugar, add maize flour first, then wheat flour with some baking powder, add melted butter, sultanas and a pinch of salt. Bake at 180 C for 15 minutes in a muffin tray.
For the sauce: bring cream to boil for 5 minutes, add 50g of sugar and a little rum, leave it to boil for 2 more minutes. Serve cakes warm with sauce at the bottom of the plate and strawberries on the side.
