POLENTA w/PARMESAN & TOMATO SAUCE

By BobD

Ingredients

• 1 cup polenta
• 1 quart water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional), plus additional for sprinkling
• 1 1/2 cups Fresh Tomato Sauce or Simple Marinara Sauce

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from nytimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the polenta, water and salt in a 2-quart baking dish. Stir together, and place in the oven. Bake 50 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir in the butter and return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and stir again. Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and stir in the Parmesan, if using. Spoon onto plates, make a depression in the middle and spoon 1/4 heaped cup of simple tomato sauce into the depression. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

Note: You can also cook the polenta in the microwave.

Variation: Polenta and Tomato Sauce Gratin

You can make this dish with leftover or chilled polenta.

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin dish. Cut the polenta into squares or rectangles, and arrange the polenta in the dish, overlapping the pieces slightly. Spread the tomato sauce over the slices, and sprinkle on the Parmesan. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top.

2. Place in the oven, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until sizzling. Remove from the heat and serve.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: Both the cooked polenta, and the tomato sauce will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator. The gratin can be assembled a day ahead, and kept in the refrigerator.