Fried Polenta

From Giada De Laurentiis: Everyday Italian

1 tsp plus 1/2 C olive oil
3 C basic polenta, freshly made and hot
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp salt
1 C marinara sauce

Coat an 11x7" baking dish with 1 teaspoon of oil. Transfer the hot polenta to the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly to 3/4" thick. Cover and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 250. Cut the polenta into 2x1" pieces. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over a medium-high flame. Working in batches, fry the polenta pieces until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the polenta pieces to paper towels and drain. Place the polenta pieces on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining batches.

Transfer the polenta pieces to a serving platter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and salt, and serve, with marinara sauce alongside.