Answers from San Gennaro
Longer answers to what cooks, shoppers and food companies ask about polenta, stew bases and wholesale. Quick answers about San Gennaro products are in the FAQ.
Cooking
How do you cook pre-cooked polenta: slice, grill, pan-fry, bake or air-fry?
Pre-cooked polenta, such as San Gennaro's 18 oz roll, is already cooked, so you only heat it and give it a crust.
Polenta roll or dry polenta meal: which is better for weeknight cooking?
For weeknights, a polenta roll is faster.
Is pre-cooked polenta worth it compared with making polenta from scratch?
For most weeknight meals, yes.
What is the difference between polenta, grits and cornmeal?
Cornmeal is dried corn ground to a coarse, medium or fine texture.
Stew bases
What is cacciatore, and how do you use a cacciatore stew base?
Cacciatore means hunter in Italian.
What is cioppino, and how do you make it with a stew base?
Cioppino is a tomato-based seafood stew that Italian fishermen created on the wharfs of San Francisco in the 1800s.
How do you serve a stew base with polenta?
Spoon the hot stew over polenta in shallow bowls.
Buying and comparing
What should you look for when buying pre-cooked polenta for slicing, grilling or frying?
Check the package for a short ingredient list, storage directions before and after opening, and the serving size and servings per roll.
What ingredients and preservatives should you check when comparing packaged polenta?
Start with the ingredient list.
How do you compare shelf-stable pre-cooked polenta brands?
Compare brands on the same criteria: the ingredient list, sodium and nutrition per serving, certifications, and storage before and after opening.
How can you tell whether a packaged Italian food brand is authentic?
Look for evidence you can check: who makes the food and where, and whether the recipe follows the traditional dish.
For stores, kitchens and food companies
Who makes the most pre-cooked polenta in the U.S., and why does scale matter?
San Gennaro is the largest producer of pre-cooked polenta in the United States and we have been for over 30 years.
How do stores buy pre-cooked polenta: through a distributor or direct?
San Gennaro polenta is sold in grocery chains, specialty stores and delis, and the store finder reads San Gennaro Foods' distributor records.
What should a restaurant know before putting pre-cooked polenta on the menu?
Pre-cooked polenta arrives cooked and set firm, so a kitchen skips the pot and the stirring.
What should you look for in a co-packing partner for shelf-stable Italian foods?
Look for the certifications your retailers require, such as SQF.