Making the polenta

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a deep pot on the stove, adding 1 teaspoon of salt.
2. Slowly pour a stream of polenta into the boiling water while whisking. Continue to whisk until it starts to thicken and sputter, 2-3 minutes.
3. Turn the heat low, cover it with a lid set askew or a splash guard, and set a time for 45 minutes.
4. Using a wooden spoon, stir the polenta every 5-7 minutes, gently pulling up anything sticking to the bottom of the pot. If the polenta gets too thick to stir comfortably, add a tiny bit of water to loosen it up.
5. When the time is up, the polenta should be plump and soft in texture, no crunchy bites left. Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and stir to incorporate. If using parmesan, stir it in now.
6. Pour it into an 8x8 greased pan and smooth the top. Refrigerate for a few hours until the polenta has cooled solid.  SEE NOTE 1.

Making the browned butter

1. Warm a light colored skillet over medium heat and add 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the pan. SEE NOTE 2. Once the butter has melted, lower the heat to medium-low.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the color has darkened to a ruddy brown. Do not raise the heat because the butter can burn easily.
3. You will use only 1 tablespoon for this recipe. Reserve the remaining browned butter for another use.

Making the fried polenta

1. In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of browned butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and turn the heat up to medium-high.
2. When the butter/oil mixture is warmed up, add a layer of polenta, leaving room between the pieces.
3. Fry each side for 3-4 minutes. Listen for the sound of sizzling to quiet, then carefully flip the pieces using a flat spatula or flipper. The butter and polenta will splatter, use a lid set askew or a splatter guard while frying the wedges.
4. When both sides are fried, set the pieces on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess grease. If you are making a large batch, put the fried & drained pieces in a dish in the oven at 225°F to stay warm until they're all done.