Weekday Vegetarian: Baked Polenta
Photo: Kelly Rossiter/CC BY 2.0
I saw a recipe on the website Two Peas & Their Pod for a baked polenta which sounded like a perfect dinner for a cold night. I made quite a lot of changes to the recipe, but I'd like to credit them for the inspiration. You should also make free with this recipe, using whatever vegetables you like. Eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, swiss chard or kale would all be great additions.
I added some capers and olives for a bit of piquancy. I made my tomato sauce from scratch, using my home canned tomatoes and some tomato paste and lots of garlic, but use whatever you like best. This made quite a lot, and we had more than enough for leftovers for lunch today.
Photo: Kelly Rossiter/CC BY 2.0
Baked Polenta
1 small carrot, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 small bunch spinach, chopped
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper, to season vegetables
1 cup polenta
3 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1-2 cups tomato sauce
2 tbsp capers
2 tbsp kalamata olives, sliced
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1. Place carrot, onion and red pepper on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. When the vegetables are done roasting, set aside to cool and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a light simmer. Slowly add the polenta to the pot, whisking constantly. Once it starts to thicken, trade the whisk out for a spoon and stir until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pot. Add half of the Parmesan cheese to the polenta and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a 2 quart greased casserole dish. Top with the other half of the parmesan.
3. Evenly spread the roasted vegetables, capers and olives on top of the polenta. Spread the tomato sauce over the vegetables and top with grated mozzarella cheese. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Let rest for about 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm.
