**Baked Layered Polenta: A Culinary Symphony of Creamy Goodness and Savory Delights**
Indulge your taste buds with the exquisite Baked Layered Polenta, a culinary masterpiece that harmonizes creamy textures, tantalizing flavors, and delectable accompaniments. This versatile dish, hailing from the culinary traditions of Northern Italy, is not merely a side dish; it's an enchanting symphony of flavors and textures that takes center stage on any table. This article presents a collection of carefully curated recipes, each offering a unique twist on this classic dish, ensuring an unforgettable dining experience. Embark on a culinary journey that will transport you to the heart of Italian cuisine, where every bite of Baked Layered Polenta promises a symphony of creamy delight and savory indulgence.
LAYERED POLENTA CASSEROLE RECIPE
A layered Polenta casserole dish. You can also use grits instead of polenta in this dish.
Provided by Helene Dsouza
Categories Main Course
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- For the Polenta, cook the Polenta, water, milk, butter, salt, and pepper together. Keep on low heat and stir continuously for about 5 minutes.
- Keep your attention towards the Polenta, cause it can burn on really quickly and cooks up super fast. Remove it from the heat once it starts to boil up.
- Spread half amount of the polenta into a baking dish to create the first layer.
- For the white sauce, heat up a saucepan with the butter.
- Continue adding in the White flour. Keep on stirring with a whisk on slow heat.
- Then pour in the milk. Stir well, season and keep on whisking the sauce till it gets thick by itself. Remove from the heat and keep aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350 Celsius/ 180 Fahrenheit.
- Mix the Tomato Sauce with the olives, basil, salt, and black pepper
- Spread the mixed tomato sauce over the polenta layer
- Then add the remaining polenta to form the layer over the tomato paste.
- Then spread the white sauce over the polenta to create a creamy layer.
- At last spread the Parmesan Cheese over the white sauce.
- Bake the casserole dish for about 15 minutes at 350 Fahrenheit/180 Celsius.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 342 kcal, Carbohydrate 43 g, Protein 9 g, Fat 15 g, SaturatedFat 8 g, Cholesterol 36 mg, Sodium 612 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 9 g, ServingSize 1 serving
BAKED POLENTA
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories side-dish
Time 35m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 4
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 LAYERED POLENTA
Baked layered polenta - perfect for Italian cuisine that can be ready in 50 minutes.
Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Entree
Time 50m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Heat oven to 375°. Grease rectangular baking dish, 11x7x1 1/2 inches.
- Cook polenta in salted water as directed on package; stir in oregano. Spread in baking dish.
- Heat oil in nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook zucchini in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. Stir in marinara sauce; reduce heat to medium. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
- Spoon zucchini mixture over polenta. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until bubbly around edges.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 245, Carbohydrate 38 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Fiber 4 g, Protein 9 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 1380 mg
POLENTA PASTICCIATA: BAKED POLENTA LAYERED WITH LONG-COOKED SAUCES
Polenta pasticciata is a layered baked dish, just like lasagna, but made with warm, fresh polenta instead of pasta. And, like lasagna, it is marvelously versatile: you can put all manner of good things in between the layers of polenta-cheeses, vegetables, meats, or sauces, or a combination. I've narrowed down the possibilities for this pasticciata, which is filled with one of the savory long-cooked sauces on pages 134 to 155\. Most of them make great fillings, with intense flavor and chunky texture that complement the mild sweetness and softness of the polenta. So I am leaving the final choice of sauce to you: whether you decide to use one of the guazzetti or meat Bolognese or the mushroom ragù or Savoy-cabbage-and-bacon sauce, the procedure is exactly the same. Perhaps you have one of these in your freezer right now! If you've got 4 cups, that's enough to fill a pasticciata that will serve eight as a main course, or even more as a side dish, perfect for a buffet or large dinner party. But don't give up if you only have 3 cups of mushroom ragù or guazzetto. If you also have Simple Tomato Sauce (page 132) on hand, blend in a couple of cups to extend your base sauce; or simmer up a quick marinara to use as an extender. You have lots of flexibility with polenta pasticciata: use the cheeses you like in amounts you are comfortable with. To make a deep pasticciata with thick layers, which makes a great presentation unmolded, assemble it in a 3-quart baking dish or a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, filled to the brim. For a crispier texture and for more golden gratinato on top, spread the layers thin in a wide shallow casserole. Use besciamella to add moistness and richness, or do without it. With good basic polenta and a deeply flavored long-cooked sauce, your pasticciata will be delicious however you make it.
Yield serves 8 as a main course, more as a side dish
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400° and set a rack in the center.
- Put plastic wrap on fresh polenta to keep it hot and to prevent a skin from forming on top. Be sure to assemble the pasticciata within 1/2 hour, while the polenta is still warm and soft with no lumps.
- If necessary, heat the filling sauce to quite warm. If it is too dense for spreading, thin it with some water. If you're extending the filling sauce with simple tomato or marinara sauce, warm them up together.
- Butter the bottom and sides of the baking dish or skillet thoroughly. Use more butter on the bottom in particular, if you want to unmold the pasticciata.
- Put 1/4 cup besciamella in the dish or skillet and spread it around the bottom; it doesn't have to cover every bit.
- Pour in half the polenta (approximately 5 cups) and spread it evenly in the bottom of the pan. Scatter 1/3 cup or more shredded Muenster or other soft cheese all over the top, then sprinkle on 2 to 4 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano. Pour or ladle 2 cups of the warm sauce over the polenta and cheese, and spread it all over-use 3 cups sauce if you want a thicker layer.
- Pour on a bit more than half of the remaining polenta (about 3 cups) and spread it. Spread another 1/4 cup of besciamella on top, top with shredded soft cheese and grated hard cheese in the amounts you like. Pour in the remaining sauce and spread it evenly, reserving a cup, if you have enough and plan to unmold the pasticciata.
- For the top layer, spread all the rest of the polenta and another 1/4 cup besciamella on top of that. Sprinkle on more shredded soft cheese and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano. If you're making a thin pasticciata in a big pan, or want it to have a beautiful deep gold gratinato, use enough besciamella and cheese to really cover the top. Do not compress the cheeses, though. See do-ahead note below.
- Set the pan on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or more, until the top is deeply colored and crusted, even browned a bit on the edges. Let the pasticciata cool for a few minutes before serving. If you are serving portions from the baking pan, cut in squares like lasagna, or wedges if you've used a round skillet or pan, and lift them out with a spatula.
- To unmold the pasticiatta, let it cool for at least 10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan, cutting through crust sticking to the rim or sides. Lay a cutting board, big enough to cover it, on top of the baking pan or skillet, hold the two together (with the protection of cloths and the help of other hands if necessary), and flip them over. Rap on the upturned pan bottom-or bang on it all over-to loosen the bottom. Lift the board, and give the pan a good shake. The pasticciata will drop out soon, with sufficient encouragement. Serve it on the board, or reflip it onto a serving platter and serve with a cup or more of warm sauce heaped on the top or served on the side.
- If you want to prepare the pasticciata and bake later the same or next day, spread the last layer of polenta and coat it well with besciamella but don't sprinkle on the final layer of cheeses. Cover it lightly and leave it at room temperature, or wrap well and refrigerate overnight. Before baking, sprinkle on the cheeses and make a tent of foil (see page 203) over the baking dish, without touching the cheese. Poke a few small holes in the foil to vent steam. Set the pan on a sheet and bake for 1/2 hour at 400°, remove the foil, and continue to bake until deeply colored and crusted.
- *You can serve this with or without freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; it will be richer with, but just as good without.
- †Good alternatives are dry-packed mozzarella, Italian Fontina, cheddar, or other cheeses of your liking.
- All of the sauces that I recommend for layering in a pasticciata are delicious just ladled on top of hot polenta. You'll need 1/3 to 1/2 cup of hot sauce for each serving of Basic Polenta (finished with freshly grated cheese) or any of the Simple Variations that follow (page 216). Put the polenta in warm serving bowls, sprinkle over more Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano-it melts best under the sauce-then spoon the sauce on top.
- Hearty sauces like mushroom ragù or savoy cabbage and bacon are particularly delicious with polenta taragna, a coarse grind of whole-grain cornmeal and buckwheat. Prepare taragna exactly as you do yellow polenta, but give it an extra 10 to 15 minutes of cooking and more water as needed.
BAKED POLENTA WITH SHIITAKE RAGOûT
Categories Garlic Mushroom Onion Appetizer Bake Mozzarella Parmesan Cornmeal Red Wine Winter Gourmet Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free
Yield Serves 6 to 8
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Make the mushroom ragout:
- In a large deep skillet cook the onion, the garlic, and the rosemary in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, add the mushrooms and salt to taste, and cook the mixture over moderately high heat, stirring, for 10 minutes, or until the liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste and the wine and boil the mushroom mixture until most of the liquid is evaporated. In a small bowl stir the cornstarch into the broth, add the mixture and the Worcestershire sauce to the mushroom mixture, and bring the ragout to a boil, stirring. Simmer the ragout for 2 minutes and season it with salt and pepper.
- Make the polenta:
- In a large heavy saucepan bring the water with the oil to a boil and add 1 cup of the cornmeal, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining 1 cup cornmeal in a slow stream, stirring constantly, and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, 2/3 cup of the Parmesan, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread one third of the polenta evenly in a buttered 13- by 9-inch baking dish and chill the polenta sheet for 20 minutes, or until it is firm. While the polenta is chilling, working quickly, spread half the remaining polenta in a buttered 3-quart shallow baking dish, top it with half the mushroom ragout, and top the ragout with the mozzarella. Spread the remaining polenta quickly over the mozzarella and top it with the remaining ragout.
- Invert the polenta sheet onto a work surface and with 1 or more star-shaped cutters cut out as many stars as possible. Arrange the stars decoratively on the ragout and sprinkle them with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan. The layered polenta may be prepared up to this point 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the layered polenta in the upper third of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the polenta stars are golden.
LAYERED EGGPLANT AND POLENTA CASSEROLE
In this cheese-free version of eggplant parmigiana, eggplant slices are layered with polenta rounds and bathed in a rich tomato sauce. Serve it with baby lettuces for a vegetarian meal.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Main Dish Recipes Casserole Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees; with rack in upper third. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar, oregano, and basil; season with pepper. Remove sauce from heat.
- Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Lightly brush eggplant slices with the remaining tablespoon oil. Working in batches, lay slices in skillet in a single layer; cook until browned and they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Spoon about 1/2 cup tomato sauce into a 9-inch square baking dish, spreading to coat evenly. Arrange eggplant slices snugly in a single layer. Spoon about 1 cup tomato sauce over eggplant, and arrange polenta rounds in slightly overlapping slices on top. Repeat with sauce and another layer of eggplant. Finish by dotting with remaining tomato sauce.
- Cover with foil; bake until bubbling and juicy, about 30 minutes. Remove foil; continue baking until sauce is lightly caramelized and eggplant is tender, about 15 minutes more. Remove from oven; let cool slightly, and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 156 g, Fat 3 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 5 g, Sodium 343 g
Tips:
- Use good quality ingredients: Fresh, flavorful ingredients will make a big difference in the final dish. Look for polenta that is finely ground and creamy in texture. Use fresh herbs and vegetables, and a flavorful cheese.
- Cook the polenta slowly: Polenta takes time to cook, so be patient. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will allow the polenta to absorb all of the flavors of the broth or milk.
- Season the polenta well: Polenta can be bland on its own, so be sure to season it well with salt, pepper, and other herbs and spices. You can also add grated cheese or cooked vegetables to the polenta for extra flavor.
- Let the polenta cool slightly before assembling the dish: This will make it easier to handle and prevent it from breaking apart.
- Be creative with your toppings: There are endless possibilities for toppings for baked layered polenta. You can use a simple tomato sauce, a creamy cheese sauce, or a flavorful vegetable ragu. You can also top the polenta with grilled chicken, shrimp, or roasted vegetables.
Conclusion:
Baked layered polenta is a versatile and delicious dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is a great way to use up leftover polenta, and it is also a perfect dish for entertaining. With its creamy texture and flavorful toppings, baked layered polenta is sure to be a hit with everyone at your table.
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