For garnish:
For polenta:
Heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Fry sage leaves until they are dark green and have stopped bubbling, about 30 seconds. Put the sage on a paper towel to soak up oil.
Add pumpkin and water to a pan. Turn heat to high, whisk, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
Slowly pour in the cornmeal, whising constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirrling occasionally, until cornmeal is creamy and soft, no longer gritty, about 25 min.
Turn off the heat. Add milk and cheese. Whisk until everything is thoroughly combined.
Oil a 9x9 pyrex pan. Spread the polenta in the pan. Let cool to room temperature. Then wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Invert the polenta onto a cutting board and cut into eight equal portions. Transfer to a lined baking sheet. Top each piece with grated pepperjack.
Bake until the polenta is heated through and the edges are golden-brown, about 30 minutes. Garnish with fried sage and serve.
The fried sage leaves are optional.
The pepperjack on top is also optional, but I like it.
This makes a ton of polenta, but they last in the fridge for a bit and make a great side dish to just about anything. Uly's mom likes them too, so sometimes we bring a few over.