**Baked Polenta with Sausage and Tomato-Pepper Sauce: A Hearty and Flavorful Italian Dish**
Polenta, a traditional Italian dish made from cornmeal, is a versatile and delicious staple that can be enjoyed in various ways. This recipe introduces a hearty and flavorful baked polenta dish topped with a savory sausage and tomato-pepper sauce. The combination of creamy polenta, succulent sausage, and rich tomato sauce creates a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. Accompanying the main recipe are three additional variations to cater to different preferences and dietary needs. Whether you prefer a vegetarian option with roasted vegetables or a spicy kick with chorizo and bell peppers, these variations offer a delightful range of flavors to satisfy every palate. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey as we explore the delectable world of baked polenta and its versatile accompaniments.
SAUSAGE WITH CREAMY POLENTA AND TOMATO SAUCE
Steps:
- For the sausage: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the broccoli rabe to the pot and cook for a few minutes. Drain and immediately transfer to the ice bath; let cool. Remove and pat dry, then chop finely. Set aside.
- Run the pork shoulder through a meat grinder, first using the medium grinder-plate, and then using the small grinder-plate.
- Transfer the ground pork to a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic, broccoli rabe, salt, fennel pollen, fennel seeds, red pepper and Parmesan. Mix well.
- Using a sausage stuffer, stuff the sausage mixture into casings, and twist into links. Cut the links to separate the sausages.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the sausage links into the pot, making sure they're submerged. Turn down the heat and simmer the sausages until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove and dry on paper towels. Set aside.
- For the polenta: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, 2 cups water and bay leaf to a boil. Season generously with salt, almost to the point of over seasoning. How do you know that you are there? Taste it! When the liquid has reached a boil, slowly whisk in the polenta in small sprinkles. Once all the polenta has been incorporated, reduce the heat to medium and immediately switch over to stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook the polenta until it begins to pull away from the pan, adding water to loosen it up if it becomes too thick. When the polenta is thoroughly cooked, it should look creamy and not feel gritty on your tongue. Remove it from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and mascarpone. Keep warm.
- For the tomato sauce: In a medium pot, combine the garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, 1 cup water, red pepper, basil and some salt. Bring to boil, lower heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- To serve, spoon a pool of polenta onto a plate, add a ladle of tomato sauce, and top with a sausage.
CREAMY POLENTA WITH PARMESAN AND SAUSAGE
Polenta is such a natural base for so many savory foods - more flavorful than either pasta or mashed potatoes, but somehow just as forgiving - that it's hard to pick a favorite topping. Having said that, I know what mine is: sausage. The fatty succulence of a banger combined with the lean graininess of the cornmeal is somehow perfect.
Provided by Mark Bittman
Categories dinner, easy, main course
Time 1h
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, put cornmeal in a medium saucepan along with 1 cup water and whisk well to make a slurry; continue whisking mixture to eliminate any lumps. Put pan over medium-high heat, sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking frequently and adding water as needed to keep mixture loose and free of lumps, between 3 and 4 more cups. If mixture becomes too thick, simply add a bit more water; consistency should be similar to sour cream's.
- Polenta will be done in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on grind. Add cheese and butter. Taste and add salt, if necessary, and lots of pepper; serve topped with sausages.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 731, UnsaturatedFat 30 grams, Carbohydrate 33 grams, Fat 54 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 27 grams, SaturatedFat 21 grams, Sodium 1121 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams
BAKED POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE
Rich, tomato-based casserole made with sweet Italian sausage, baked in a polenta crust and topped with mozzarella cheese. This is a great substitution for your typical pasta dish. Serve with a green salad and a loaf of Italian bread - doesn't get much better than this!
Provided by COOKINGQUEEN75
Categories Side Dish Grain Side Dish Recipes Polenta Recipes
Time 1h25m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Combine water and milk in a large saucepan with polenta. Bring to a boil over high heat; add Parmesan cheese and butter. Stir constantly until thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour polenta into a large, round casserole dish, filling about 1 inch deep.
- Heat olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage, mushrooms, onion, and garlic in the skillet until sausage is browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Add wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, Italian seasoning, and oregano; cook over medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Pour tomato sauce mixture over polenta. Top with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 546.3 calories, Carbohydrate 47.5 g, Cholesterol 58.5 mg, Fat 23.9 g, Fiber 4.9 g, Protein 24.8 g, SaturatedFat 11.2 g, Sodium 1322.5 mg, Sugar 13.2 g
BAKED POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA
I turn to polenta when I am in need of some good, old-fashioned comfort food. I suspect it's because there is not much difference between polenta and the grits I was raised on in North Florida. This simple dish relies once again on my favorite tomato sauce and not much else other than freshly cooked polenta made better than ever with a little added ricotta.
Provided by Art Smith
Categories HarperCollins Hominy/Cornmeal/Masa Tomato Vegetarian Parmesan Basil Ricotta Healthy Dinner
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
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.
POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS
Steps:
- Bring 6 cups of water to a simmer and add the polenta. Cook over low heat, stirring often, 45 minutes. Stir in the butter, Parmesan and olive oil and keep warm.
- Add the tomatoes, sausage, garlic, peppers, onion and crushed red pepper to a large cast-iron pot and simmer, 30 minutes. Serve sauce over polenta, topped with some ricotta and basil.
POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE AND TOMATO PEPPER SAUCE
Provided by Marian Burros
Categories dinner, main course
Time 25m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Heat a large nonstick pan until it is very hot.
- Remove sausage from casing, and break into bite-size pieces. Reduce heat to medium high; sauté sausage until it browns on both sides.
- Chop whole onion.
- Add oil to pan. Then, add onion and cook until it softens. Mince garlic, and add to pan.
- Bring broth to boil in covered pot.
- Wash, trim, seed and chop peppers. Add them and the hot pepper flakes to the onion as it cooks. Sauté a minute or two, and stir in thyme, oregano, tomatoes and sherry; reduce heat to low, and cook mixture.
- Slowly stir the polenta into the boiling stock. Cook over medium high heat until polenta boils and thickens. Season with pepper and salt. Serve topped with the sausage-vegetable mixture.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 516, UnsaturatedFat 10 grams, Carbohydrate 68 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 10 grams, Protein 23 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 1178 milligrams, Sugar 16 grams, TransFat 0 grams
BAKED POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE AND TOMATO-PEPPER SAUCE
This simple casserole makes a comforting weeknight dinner as the weather turns cooler. Using ready-made polenta saves you the step of making it from scratch, and our quick tomato sauce can be cooked in just 25 minutes. All you need is a fresh green salad and a loaf of crusty Italian bread to round out the meal.
Provided by wp
Time 45m
Yield Makes 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat broiler to high. Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a 2- to 3-qt. saucepan set over medium heat, then add tomatoes and oregano and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, and chile flakes, and stir to combine. Cover pan, lower heat to medium, and cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, stirring and breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it firms up, about 5 minutes. Cover pan and cook until vegetables are tender and sausage is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes more. Add tomato sauce and simmer 10 minutes.
- While sauce is cooking, pour remaining 1 1/2 tbsp. oil into a 9- by 13-in. baking pan and tilt to coat bottom. Add polenta slices to pan and turn to coat with oil, then arrange slices lengthwise in 3 slightly overlapping rows. Broil polenta about 4 in. from heating element until golden brown and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pour sauce over broiled polenta, then arrange mozzarella slices over the top. Broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
- Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 510, Carbohydrate 33, Cholesterol 82, Fat 30, Fiber 4.8, Protein 23, SaturatedFat 10, Sodium 1505
POLENTA CAKES WITH QUICK SAUSAGE SAUCE
Provided by Anne Burrell
Time 1h50m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 30
Steps:
- For the polenta cakes: In a saucepan, combine the milk, water, bay, and cayenne. Bring the mixture to a boil over low heat and season generously with salt. Take the seasoning to the edge of too salty. To do this you must taste as you go. Polenta acts as a salt eraser, if you don't season abundantly here you will never recover from it.
- Once the liquid is at a boil and is seasoned appropriately, sprinkle in the polenta, whisking constantly. Once the polenta is combined, switch over to a wooden spoon and stir frequently until the polenta has become thick. Taste the polenta to see if it has cooked through. If it still feels mealy and grainy, add some more milk or water and cook it to a thick consistency. Repeat this process, as needed, until the polenta feels smooth on your tongue, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the sage and mascarpone.
- Line a 7 by 7-inch square pan with plastic wrap. Pour the polenta into the prepared pan. Cover the top with more plastic wrap smoothed onto the surface of the polenta. Chill in the refrigerator until needed. (All of this can totally be done ahead of time, like yesterday! Cool!)
- For the sauce: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the sausage in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.
- In a food processor, puree the onions, fennel, celery, and garlic until it becomes a coarse paste. Season with salt and give a sprinkle of crushed red pepper.
- When the sausage is roasted, remove it from the oven and coarsely chop.
- Coat a wide, deep pot with olive oil and add the pureed veggies. Cook the veggies until they start to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce by half. Toss in the chopped sausage and the tomato puree. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the polenta from the pan and cut into desired shapes. Coat a nonstick saute pan with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot and starting to smoke just a little, add the polenta shapes. Cook the polenta on both sides and finish by sprinkling with the Parmigiano.
- Transfer a few polenta cakes to a plate and top with the sausage sauce. Sprinkle with more grated Parmigiano.
- Place the pork shoulder in a bowl and keep cold until ready to use. Fill a large bowl with ice and place the bowl with the pork shoulder on top.
- Season the pork with garlic, salt, fennel seed, crushed red pepper, and coriander. Mix to combine well.
- Grind the pork shoulder twice through a grinding disk with large holes. Grind the meat into the bowl sitting on ice.
- Cook a small amount of the meat mixture to test for seasoning. Add more spices and salt, if needed. Thoroughly mix in a splash of cold water. Allow the seasoned pork to chill on ice or in the fridge before stuffing into the casing.
- Replace the grinder attachment with the horn. (Be sure to thoroughly clean the attachment area before proceeding.) Rub oil onto the horn, and then put the casing on, leaving a few inches of slack at the end.
- Stuff the casing, tie off the ends, and prick the sausage with a pin or the tip of a knife.
- Refrigerate the sausage until ready to cook.
POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE AND TOMATO SAUCE
Provided by Marian Burros
Categories dinner, easy, quick, weekday, main course
Time 20m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Chop whole onion and saute in hot oil in large nonstick pan.
- Mince garlic and add, cooking until onion begins to soften.
- Remove sausage from casing and crumble into pan; brown on all sides.
- Wash, trim and cube zucchini; add to pan and continue to cook until zucchini begins to take on color, about 2 minutes.
- Add tomato puree, tomato paste, wine, oregano, thyme, sugar and pepper; stir well, and cook over medium-low heat while preparing the polenta.
- Bring chicken stock to boil for polenta in covered pot.
- Grate cheese coarsely.
- Slowly stir cornmeal into boiling stock, and cook until mixture thickens to a soft mush. Remove from heat.
- Serve polenta topped with sausage-tomato sauce, sprinkled with cheese.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 712, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 88 grams, Fat 18 grams, Fiber 12 grams, Protein 39 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 1813 milligrams, Sugar 30 grams, TransFat 0 grams
BAKED POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE AND TOMATO-PEPPER SAUCE
Steps:
- 1. Preheat broiler to high. Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a 2- to 3-qt. saucepan set over medium heat, then add tomatoes and oregano and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, and chile flakes, and stir to combine. Cover pan, lower heat to medium, and cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, stirring and breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it firms up, about 5 minutes. Cover pan and cook until vegetables are tender and sausage is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes more. Add tomato sauce and simmer 10 minutes. 3. While sauce is cooking, pour remaining 1 1/2 tbsp. oil into a 9- by 13-in. baking pan and tilt to coat bottom. Add polenta slices to pan and turn to coat with oil, then arrange slices lengthwise in 3 slightly overlapping rows. Broil polenta about 4 in. from heating element until golden brown and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. 4. Pour sauce over broiled polenta, then arrange mozzarella slices over the top. Broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
BAKED POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE AND MUSHROOM SAUCE
Surprisingly easy method for preparing polenta. No standing over the stove stirring for 30 minutes. And, the best part... it turns out perfect every single time. The sauce is fresh and complements the polenta well.
Provided by Candice
Time 55m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Prepare polenta: Stir water, polenta, butter, garlic, salt, and pepper together in an 8-inch square baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven until most of the water has been absorbed, about 40 minutes.
- While the polenta is baking, prepare sauce: Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for 7 minutes.
- Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Pour in sausage, chicken stock, and diced tomatoes; simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove polenta from the oven and stir in Parmesan cheese. Spoon sauce over polenta and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 491.5 calories, Carbohydrate 32 g, Cholesterol 61.7 mg, Fat 30.6 g, Fiber 3.2 g, Protein 21.9 g, SaturatedFat 12.2 g, Sodium 1508.8 mg, Sugar 4.8 g
CHEESY BAKED POLENTA IN TOMATO SAUCE
This recipe is quite forgiving in that there's plenty of wiggle room to play. Use whatever herbs and cheeses you have on hand, for example, adjust the spice levels as preferred, and opt for fresh tomatoes if they're in season, or chopped canned tomatoes instead of whole. You can also veganize the dish entirely by using a nondairy milk and vegan cheese, adding some nutritional yeast if you like. This hearty main needs nothing more than some lightly cooked greens to eat alongside.
Provided by Yotam Ottolenghi
Categories dinner, casseroles, main course
Time 1h30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Cut out a piece of parchment paper about 16-by-12 inches/40-by-30 centimeters in size and lay onto a clean work surface.
- Prepare the polenta: Add the milk, garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper to a medium saucepan. Bring to a bare simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the polenta, whisking continuously, until completely incorporated and there are no lumps. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring all the while with a spatula. When cooked, the mixture should pull away from the sides of the pan and be quite thick.
- Add the Parmesan, stirring for another 30 seconds to melt. Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to the parchment paper. Use your hands to quickly shape the polenta into a large cylindrical shape, about 13-inches/32-centimeters long. Use the parchment paper to help you tighten the cylinder and then gently roll the whole thing in the paper, tightening as you go, then twisting in opposite directions at both ends. Refrigerate to set for about 1 hour, or longer if time allows.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: Add the olive oil to a large, ovenproof cast-iron pan that is roughly 11-inches/28-centimeters wide, and heat over medium-high. Once hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until softened and lightly colored.
- Stir in the garlic, red-pepper flakes and oregano, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, sugar, a scant 1/2 cup/100 milliliters water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Set aside until needed.
- Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/230 degrees Celsius.
- Gently unwrap the chilled polenta and transfer to a cutting board. Trim about 1 inch/2 to 3 centimeters off the ends and then cut the polenta into 24 (1-centimeter-thick) slices.
- Top the tomato sauce evenly with the sliced fontina, then fan out the polenta slices, overlapping slightly, so that they're spiraled to cover the top, leaving a 1-centimeter gap from the edge of the pan. Drizzle the polenta with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until polenta is golden in places and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes to settle.
- While the polenta cools, in a small bowl combine all the topping ingredients. Sprinkle a handful of the topping over the polenta and serve the remaining in a bowl alongside. Serve warm.
SAUSAGE POLENTA BAKE
Polenta makes a tasty base for sausage in a tomato sauce in this casserole.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 40m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a large saucepan, combine cornmeal and salt. Gradually add boiling water, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese. , Spread polenta into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Add spaghetti sauce; cook for 5 minutes or until heated through. , Spread over polenta; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 12-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 311 calories, Fat 16g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 44mg cholesterol, Sodium 887mg sodium, Carbohydrate 28g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 14g protein.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor. Fresh, flavorful sausage, ripe tomatoes, and sweet peppers will make a big difference in the dish.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of sausage. Italian sausage, chorizo, andouille, and breakfast sausage are all great options.
- Be sure to cook the sausage thoroughly before adding it to the sauce. This will help to prevent the sauce from becoming greasy.
- Simmer the sauce for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Serve the polenta with a generous helping of sauce and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.
Conclusion:
Baked polenta with sausage and tomato-pepper sauce is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It's also a great way to use up leftover sausage and vegetables. The polenta is creamy and flavorful, the sausage is savory and juicy, and the sauce is rich and tangy. This dish is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
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