From: Krista in MI (71-82-64-147.dhcp.bycy.mi.charter.com)
Subject: Messy Polenta: Polenta Pasticciata
Date: August 22, 2006 at 9:28 pm PST
This was the third recipe from my "Veganize/McDougallize Food Network Recipe" challenge. I have a picture and a link to the inspiration recipe on my blog.
Messy Polenta: Polenta Pasticciata
First you want to make the polenta.
Lightly spray an 8x8 casserole dish and cover a cookie sheet with waxed paper.
Stovetop Polenta
6 cups vegetable stock
1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 T each dried thyme, oregano and basil (Or 3 T. Italian seasoning mix)
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in herbs.
Pour enough into a lightly sprayed 8x8 baking dish to make it about 1/2" thick. Pour the rest onto a cookie sheet that you have covered with waxed paper. Refrigerate until cold and firm, 2-3 hours, depending on how thick it is.
Now, for the filling:
1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
1 portobello mushroom cap, chopped
1 block frozen spinach, defrosted (Be sure to squeeze the extra water out!)
4 peeled tomatoes from can, drained (I used my home canned tomatoes)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 t. oregano
1 T. fresh basil, chopped small (or 1 1/2 t. dried basil)
In a medium saucepan sautee all of the vegetables except the tomatoes until they began to soften. Then add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and herbs.
Slice the polenta that was cooled on the cookie sheet into 1/2-inch squares. Pour the "filling" over the polenta in the 8x8 baking dish. Cover with the polenta squares.
Bake in a 400° oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
