Polenta e Schie

Name: Polenta e Schie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Veneta
Ingredients: 250 g fine white cornmeal; 1200 ml Water; 10 g Fine sea salt; 400 g fresh schie; 50 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 2 cloves Garlic; 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley; 15 ml Lemon juice; 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

Tiny grey lagoon shrimp quickly cooked in garlic and olive oil, served over warm, soft white polenta. A historic dish of the Venetian lagoon and Chioggia.

🇮🇹Italy· Veneto

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 380 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

250 g fine white cornmeal — polenta bianca or Biancoperla
1200 ml Water — for cooking polenta
10 g Fine sea salt — divided to taste
400 g fresh schie — grey lagoon shrimp, rinsed well
50 ml Extra virgin olive oil — good quality Veneto oil
2 cloves Garlic — peeled and lightly crushed
15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
15 ml Lemon juice — freshly squeezed
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper — to finish

Equipment

•Heavy-bottomed saucepan
•Whisk
•Wooden spoon
•Frying pan
•Fine colander

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 380 kcal
fat: 10 g
carbs: 48 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 24 g
calories: 380 kcal

Instructions

1
Bring water and fine sea salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
2
Gradually pour in the white polenta while whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
3
Reduce heat to very low and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon for 40 minutes.
4
Rinse the fresh shrimp thoroughly in cold water and drain well in a colander.
5
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat with the crushed garlic.
6
Add the shrimp once the garlic becomes fragrant and sauté gently for two to three minutes.
7
Discard the garlic cloves, then stir in lemon juice, chopped parsley, and black pepper.
8
Spoon a generous ladle of soft, warm white polenta into shallow serving bowls.
9
Top each portion immediately with the warm shrimp and their pan juices.

Chef's tips

If using true tiny schie, keep the delicate shells intact as they soften upon cooking and add authentic flavour. Keep the white polenta soft and pourable rather than stiff so it cushions the shrimp.

Ingredient substitutions

schie (lagoon grey shrimp) → North Sea brown shrimp or small wild grey prawns
white polenta flour → fine yellow bramata polenta, though the colour contrast will differ