This Traditional Romanian Polenta with Feta Cheese, Bacon and Sausage known as “Mamaliga cu Branza in Paturi” is a dish I’ve grown up with and am very fond of. It’s hearty, delicious and satisfying.
Well let me tell you, you can’t get anymore traditional than this as far as Romanian cuisine goes. I learned to make this from my mother who learned from my grandma and so on. Now I used bacon and some smoked sausage in this polenta, but you can omit the bacon and sausage completely and you’ve got yourself a vegetarian meal. I guess you could say this dish is peasant food and the polenta is often cooked in large copper pots or iron skillets.
Now I don’t make this often, maybe once or twice a year, but I like it, I mean I love anything with feta and bacon. This is a dish that is probably only made in certain parts of the country or each region has their own version. But my dad is from Cluj which is in the North West part of Romania and this is how they make this polenta there. I have to say that whenever my mom used to make this, the house used to smell amazing from the bacon and the sausage and we couldn’t wait until it was done so we could sink our teeth into it. Now I make it myself and I just get very nostalgic and miss home. It’s a very dear recipe and I love sharing it with you guys. Hope you make and try this.
If you guys love this recipe, and most importantly make it yourselves, please let us know. Take a picture and tag it #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!
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Traditional Romanian Polenta with Feta Cheese and Bacon (Mamaliga cu Branza in Paturi)
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon fried and chopped
- 8 ounce smoked sausage sliced and fried
- 2 cups cornmeal
- 8 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups feta cheese shredded or crumbled
Instructions
- Boil the water with salt. Once water is boiling, reduce heat to low and add the cornmeal, while stirring constantly. Keep stirring, you will notice the polenta will thicken.
- Cook the polenta for about 20 to 30 min, stirring occasionally.
- Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
- In a 9 x 13 in baking dish, spread half of the polenta using some of the remaining bacon fat. Sprinkle with half of the feta cheese. Add all the sausage and half of the bacon.
- Repeat with another layer using the remaining polenta. Add the remaining cheese and top off with the remaining bacon.
- Bake for about 10 min.
- Serve warm.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information:
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Jo, you must be “ardeleanca”! This is the recipe that is typical for that region. My mom is born and raised in Tirgu Mures, I grew up there. And this is my husband’s “birthday cake”! Oh, and he is american… What is that saying? Dragostea trece prin stomac (love goes through the stomach – how romantic!) ?
My mom always uses that saying. Yep, I was born in Cluj and my dad is from there. My mom’s been making this for as long as I can remember. 🙂
how come it show the sausage on top but the instruction has the cheese and bacon on top?
Hi Michael,
You can add the sausage and bacon either as a topping or in between the layers. Depends on the preference. Let us know how it turns out for you!
If you add an egg (sunny side up ? Ou ochi) and the bacon and cheese it is often called “bulz” and it was a typical meal of shepherds. Try and enjoy!
Best polenta recipe!
I tried this, it was really good!
What kind of sausage did you use? In Romania they are using for this recipe homemade sausages but here, in Toronto, I cannot find any or at least similar to those.
I used a smoked dry sausage, my mom buys it from a Polish store, but any smoked sausage would work.
Salut! Nu am stiut ca este romanca!! Cand am fost o fata mica tati imi va face acest lucru È™i îl numesc “mamaliga Patru stele”. Eu vorbesc mai bine decate romana scruI ca am fost noscut in america, imi pare ran daca est greu DE citit. Now I am going to go follow you on pinterest!
Multumesc! Nu am auzit niciodata ca ii spunde mamalinga patru stele. Sper sa incerci sa o faci, foarte buna. 🙂
Vaaaai, ce pofta mi-e. Eu mai adaug la reteta asta si putina smantana si un strat de ciupercute sotate. Si daca vreau sa fie si mai si, deasupra fac 2 gropite si sparg doua oua. Yummmmm
Lol, si eu mai adaug din cand in cand smantana, dar niciodata nu m-am gandit la ciupercute. 🙂 Must try!
Eu fac asta dar eu fierb ouale moi si mai fac un mujdei de usturoi oh ce minune…copii mei sint nascuti in US dar asta e o mincare pe care nu o refuza,
well… ie nu refuza mamaliga niciodata…
Nici eu, foarte buna! 🙂
In Areal “nu se poate” (citez pe mama) supa/ciorba de salata fara mamaliga-n straturi. Am gresit sa fac numa’ supa…si asa mi-a zis “draga mea, asta sa nu mai faci niciodata, ca nu sepoate!”.
Mincaruri bune, amintiri frumoase si sarbatori in liniste in tot anul!