If you are to ask a romanian to list few staple foods in Romania polenta would definitely be at the top of the list. We eat polenta as a substitute for bread, as a side dish and as a main course.
Baked Polenta with Cheese
Meat Stew (Tochitura)
Usually when I cook a stew I don’t follow the exact recipe every time, instead I like to play with the ingredients and I often use whatever I have in the refrigerator. You can use any combination of meat – sausage / bacon / pork / beef / chicken add garlic, onion and spices, add wine and you are set for great reviews for dinner. The meat stew goes really well with polenta and pickles or you can make some steamed or mashed potatoes on the side.
Every time I go to a Romanian restaurant this is what I get. It’s a perfect combination of meat and tomatoes infused with wine and garlic, simply delicious. This is definitely a comfort food that you will want to serve all year round.
Polenta (Mamaliga)
I grew up eating polenta and I never had enough of it. Part of our family tradition was that every Sunday morning we would eat polenta with feta cheese, eggs, country fries, and a tomato sausage sauce. I know it doesn’t sound like breakfast but I would eat this every morning.
In Romania polenta (mamaliga) is often used as a substitute for bread. I personally like it warm and mixed with cheese, but many people also eat it cold.
For a vegetarian option you can pair the polenta with a tomato onion sauce and serve with pickles. Simply Delicious!