Three Cheese Baked Polenta Recipe 455

THREE-CHEESE POLENTA GRATIN ALLA GENOVESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven on broil setting.
• Bring water, olive oil, and milk to a boil in 4-quart sauce pan. Add polenta in a thin stream, stirring constantly with a whisk. Lower heat and cook while stirring until polenta is thick as porridge, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat and whisk in ricotta evenly through polenta then fold in mozzarella and fontina; cheeses will begin to melt. Season with salt and pepper.
• Butter an 8x12-inch casserole or gratin dish evenly. Pour hot polenta into casserole and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese evenly across top of polenta. Place in oven on broiler setting on middle rack and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until top of polenta is golden brown. Remove from oven, set aside for 5 to 7 minutes and then serve. Letting polenta rest will allow cheese to melt evenly inside casserole, which also needs to cool down because of it being so hot.

CRUNCHY CHEESY OVEN-BAKED POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 17x12-inch half-sheet pan with cooking spray.
• In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, cook oil, butter and garlic over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until garlic is transparent (do not let garlic burn). Add whipping cream; heat to a slight simmer. Stir in Gorgonzola cheese until melted. Stir in pecorino-Romano cheese. Remove from heat.
• Cut polenta into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in pan. Ladle cheese sauce evenly over polenta; sprinkle with pepper. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over top.
• Bake uncovered about 15 minutes.
• Set oven control to broil. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until top is golden brown. Garnish with basil. Serve warm.

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.