My polenta has the consistency (and taste) of wallpaper paste. Am I doing it right?

[YunoWhatYouDidLastSummer]

Never made it before. No instructions on packet.

Did 1 part polenta to 4 parts water.

Brought water to simmer. Added polenta. LEft it to cook for 15 minutes.

What is finished polenta like?

Sounds perfect.

Ideally polenta tastes and looks just like wallpaper paste!

yes, you've done it right, it's supposed to be revolting. I think it's what supermodels in Italy are raised on.

Right.

Good.

Right then.

I'll just go and... eat it then.

Good.

Thanks.

You need stock not water and then add a truckload or two or freshly grated parmesan for edible polenta.
Right now what you have needs to go in the bin.

I can't do the stuff you described. I use ready made stuff in a vacuum pack, you just slice it and grill it. Yum

It's not yum, it's fucking vile. It is the ONLY carbohydrate food that I cannot bear.

Put the horrible polenta in the bin and ring the chippie.

Ha ha ha

If you lot could see my poor children's faces eating their wallpaper paste polenta with roast pumpkin and feta.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha

[mean MEAN mummy]

This is going to cost me in therapy.

YY! Sliced and grilled! That's what I was aiming for.

That is catagorically NOT what is glooping around in my saucepan.

Christ, you have to chuck a hundredweght of parmesan in it to make it taste even mildly OK.

I always thought it had the texture of sago (which I was forcefed as a child).

Polenta is not for me. Why eat that crap when mashed potato exists.

Leave it to set. Slice it and grill it. It will taste like solid wallpaper paste with a chargrilled outside.

FUCK!

I am now adding it to my food focus and it's not even low in calories. Ahh crap.

I think you have to keep stirring the whole time it's cooking. I like the quick cook variety as it only takes five minutes - and usually add lots of Parmesan or a big dollop of pesto for flavour. You know it's cooked when it starts to come away from the sides of the pan as you stir.
IMO if serving it straight away (i.e. not slicing and frying it), it's best served with some kind of sauce. I like it best with a tomatoey-vegetably sauce and some sausages.