Polenta Pastizada Venetian Polenta Pie Recipes

POLENTA TAMALE PIE

Steps:

• Sauté beef in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until no longer pink, breaking up meat with back of fork, about 3 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin; stir 1 minute. Add salsa, beans and broth. Simmer until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup cilantro; season with salt and pepper.
• Oil 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place half of polenta in dish. Top with sauce and 1 1/2 cups cheese, then remaining polenta, cheese and cilantro. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil; chill.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake freshly assembled pie, uncovered, until heated through and sauce bubbles, about 35 minutes, or bake refrigerated pie, covered, 20 minutes, then uncover and bake until heated through, about 35 minutes.

VENETIAN STYLE POLENTA CAKES WITH CAVOLINI DI BRUXELLES RECIPE

Steps:

• In a 6-quart stock pot combine the water and heavy cream and bring to a boil. Slowly add the polenta in a thin stream while stirring to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce the heat to a low flame and slowly incorporate the semolina flour. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Allow to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil 6 (3-inch) individual cake pans.
• Take the cooled polenta and pack into the prepared cake pans. Place the polenta cakes on a half sheet pan and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before unmolding.
• In a large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and lightly cook the onions and pancetta, if using, until golden brown. Add the Brussels sprouts and thyme sprigs. Place in preheated oven and roast until soft, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove the thyme.
• In a separate pan, combine the baby carrots with equal parts oil and water to cover. Slowly bring to a simmer and cook until tender. Remove the carrots from the oil and combine with the Brussels sprouts.
• To finish, reheat the polenta cakes in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. As the polenta is cooking, slowly reheat the Brussels sprouts and carrots. Just before serving, place the polenta cakes in a bowl. Finish the Brussels sprouts and carrots with the red wine vinegar and salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the vegetables around the polenta cakes in the bowl.

POLENTA PIE WITH CHEESE AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Oil a 9-inch pie plate or a 4-cup gratin dish with 1 teaspoon oil. 3Cut polenta roll crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and line pie plate with half of slices, overlapping slices slightly to completely cover bottom of pie plate. Stir 1 tablespoon basil into 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce and spread over polenta, then sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Top with remaining half of polenta slices, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano and remaining half of mozzarella.
• Bake until bubbling and golden, about 20 minutes. While pie bakes, heat remaining pasta sauce, basil, and oil in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Let pie stand 5 minutes to firm up and cool, then serve with extra sauce on the side.
• *Found at many supermarkets and lucini.com.

VEGETARIAN BAKED POLENTA PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in garlic, tomatoes, fennel seed, basil, oregano, and red pepper. Season with salt and black pepper and let simmer for about 30 minutes over low heat.
• While the sauce is simmering, roast the vegetables. Place zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, and red pepper on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. When the vegetables are done roasting, set aside to cool and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
• In a large pot, bring the milk, butter, sugar and salt to a light simmer. Slowly add the polenta to the pot, whisking constantly. Once it starts to thicken, trade the whisk out for a spoon and stir until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pot. Add half of the Parmesan cheese to the polenta and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top with the other half of the parmesan.
• Evenly spread the roasted vegetables on top of the polenta. Spread the tomato sauce over the vegetables and top with grated mozzarella cheese. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Let rest for about 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm.

POLENTA PASTIZADA----VENETIAN POLENTA PIE

Steps:

• Make sauce: Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter, and gently saute the onion, carrots, celery and bacon until they change color.
• Add the veal, let this brown, then pour in the wine.
• Cook for 5 minutes.
• Peel, seed, and finely chop the tomatoes.
• Add these to the pan, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook gently for 1 1/2 hours.
• While the sauce cooks: Soak the mushrooms in warm water and finely chop the giblets.
• When the mushrooms have been soaking for 30 minutes, drain, pat dry, and chop finely.
• Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil, at least 8 1/2 cups.
• Pour in the cornmeal, stirring constantly, lower the heat, and cook gently, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes, or until it is a thick, smooth mass.
• Pour it into a square baking pan, let it cool, and then cut into 1/4 inch thick slices.
• Set aside.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter and saute the mushrooms and giblets gently for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Rub a fairly large pie dish generously with butter.
• Cover with a layer of polenta, and spread with a layer of the meat sauce, another of polenta and one of mushrooms and giblets.
• Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and add a layer of sliced Parmesan.
• Dot with butter.
• Continue in this manner until all the ingredients are used up, finishing with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan and slivers of butter.
• Bake at 475 degrees 30 minutes, or until heated through and serve very hot.