Polenta is often associated with rustic simplicity, but what many may not know is that it has a history spanning millennia and continents. Its roots are deeply connected with the evolution of human food culture, making it a symbol of survival, adaptation, and, in Italy, also of tradition. 

Polenta is among the earliest cooked dishes known to humanity, and was born as a simple porridge made from coarse grains boiled in water. In ancient Mesopotamia, the Sumerians prepared early forms of it using millet and rye, while in Greece, barley flour was used to create a comparable dish. Across Africa and Asia, countless variations emerged, each shaped by locally available grains and culinary traditions.