Polenta "alia Toscana" with Meat Gravy and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 cup Fine ground polenta (cornmeal) (Original recipe calls for 2 cups of Indian meal, adjusted for modern portions.)
• 6 cups Water (Original recipe calls for 3 pints of cold water, adjusted for modern portions.)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Meat gravy (Use your favorite meat gravy recipe or store-bought.)
• 0.5 cup Grated Parmesan cheese (Or other hard cheese like Pecorino Romano)

Instructions

1. 1In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add salt.
2. 2Slowly whisk in the polenta, little by little, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
3. 3Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 25 minutes, or until the polenta is very thick and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.
4. 4Wet a wooden spoon with hot water and use it to detach the polenta from the sides of the saucepan. Briefly hold the saucepan over the hottest part of the fire (or burner) until the polenta detaches from the bottom. Turn the polenta out onto a lightly oiled breadboard or baking sheet. Let it stand for a few minutes to cool slightly.
5. 5Using a wire or a sharp knife, cut the polenta into slices about 1/2 inch thick.
6. 6Place a layer of polenta slices on a hot platter. Pour over some meat gravy and sprinkle with grated cheese. Repeat with another layer of polenta, gravy, and cheese, until all the polenta is used up.
7. 7Serve immediately.