Italian Style Grits with Cheese, Eggs, and Onions

Prima Festa Italian Style Grits with cheese, eggs and onions

Grits and Polenta are traditional comfort foods of the Italian family. These two uses from corn may be served for breakfast, as a side dish, or as a base for a main course. Polenta is finely ground corn meal and Grits are coarsely ground pieces of dried corn. Although Grits are now served in many restaurants, you will be hard pressed to order Grits, Italian Style.

Ingredients

1 cup Grits ( Not Instant Grits)
2 cups whole milk
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, grated or finely chopped
2 large eggs
½ to ¾ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparing the Grits

In a heavy saucepan, bring the water, milk and salt to a boil. Whisk in the grits, reduce the heat to low and stir until the Grits thicken. This may take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes.

Preparing the Eggs and Onions

Eggs and Onions to be coarsely chopped and added to the Grits

While the grits are simmering, add the olive oil to a medium hot frying pan and cook the onions until they are soft. If they are grated, this will happen very quickly. Hard fry two slightly stirred eggs with the softened onions, but do not scramble them. After the eggs are cooked, coarsely chop up the egg and onion mixture.  Stir in the eggs and onions, and the grated cheese into the grits. Right before serving, stir in the butter and shredded mozzarella cheese. Add pepper to taste.

Note about Instant Grits.

The difference between Regular and Instant Grits is how they are processed and the required cooking time to prepare them. The Old World slow cooking method, as compared to a few minute romp in a microwave, will always produce the genuine quality of traditional Italian food that I grew up with.

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