Baked Polenta Recipe Old Italians

BAKED POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• To prepare the tomato sauce:
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes, yellow onion, and garlic in a baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and the skin is peeling away from the tomatoes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and put in a saucepan. Squeeze the garlic out of the bulb and into the tomatoes. Remove the skin from the onion. Coarsely chop the onion and add to the tomatoes.
• Add the olive oil to the tomatoes and puree with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. You may need to add up to 1/3 cup water if there is not enough liquid. Season with salt. Warm the tomato sauce just prior to use.
• To prepare the polenta:
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a simmer and stream in the polenta. Whisk together until there are no lumps. Cover with a lid and continue to cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Be careful when you go to stir the polenta-it tends to spit out pieces of the cornmeal, which is very hot. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the olive oil and basil. Drop in teaspoon-size pieces of the ricotta cheese. Pour the polenta into an 8-inch square baking pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and let sit for 1 hour or until the polenta has firmed up. Bake the polenta in the oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. Cut the polenta into 8 equal pieces.
• To serve:
• Place 1/2 cup warm tomato sauce in 4 shallow bowls and top with two pieces of the polenta. Sprinkle with the chopped basil.

BAKED POLENTA

Steps:

• While the polenta is still warm, pour it into a bowl, loaf pan, or other mold, lightly coated with olive oil. Lay plastic wrap right on top of the polenta to minimize crusting. Let it cool thoroughly at room temperature until firm. For longer keeping, refrigerate, up to 2 days.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400˚ and set a rack in the center. Coat a baking dish or sheet pan lightly with butter. Unmold the polenta, and cut it in ±-inch-thick slices. Cut the slices into any size and shape you like-smaller for hors d'oeuvres or appetizers, or larger to serve as an accompaniment to a main course.
• Arrange the pieces in the dish or baking sheet spaced apart, so they will crisp all around. Dot the top of each piece with bits of butter, and, if you like, mound a bit of cheese on top as well: grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano; shredded fontina (imported), mozzarella (drypacked), Muenster, or Cheddar; or a combination of cheeses. Bake until the polenta is crispy and golden and the cheese has toasted to a dark-gold crust, 15 to 20 minutes.

BAKED POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet pan with oil. Line pan with waxed paper. The oil will secure the waxed paper onto the pan.
• In a large pot bring to a boil 2 quarts of salted water. Stir in extra-virgin olive oil. When water has reached a boil, reduce heat to medium high and slowly add the polenta, whisking constantly for 3 minutes. When polenta is thick and smooth, pour it into the prepared pan. Spread the polenta evenly.
• Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan. Note: the polenta will not brown or change in color. When cool enough to handle, cut into any shape you desire. I like to cut out 2-inch circles.

BAKED POLENTA

Steps:

• ;