Baked Polenta

Serves 4

America’s food system heavily relies on corn, and while we probably already have too much of that vegetable, there is still something very hearty and delicious about a bowl of hot polenta. Back home in Italy, polenta is served with goulash, melted cheese or grilled sausage. And leftovers are often turned into a great quick meal the next day (for more on that, check out our suggestions below). Making polenta can be an hour-long affair, or you can save time and hassle with this less labor-intensive alternative. I found it on the back of a bag of Golden Pheasant brand polenta, a product distributed by the Polenta Company of San Francisco to the Northern California market and available at Whole Foods and other super markets. My mother sure would not approve of this method, but I cannot really taste the difference… The recipe is called Enrico’s Easy Polenta and while I don’t know Enrico, I sure love him!

Ingredients:
1 cup polenta
3 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place all ingredients into a buttered oven-safe dish mixing them well.
Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 50 minutes.
Take out, fluff the polenta and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.
Serve the polenta directly from the dish or pour into a cold dish and wait for the polenta to settle.

Leftovers:
Polenta left-overs should be covered and stored in the fridge.  Keep them in dish they were baked in, or transfer to a smaller tray to save space.
The polenta will thicken as it cools, making it easy to create “cakes”. These cakes can be warmed and served as a side to many main dishes, just top with some butter or olive and salt.
Here’s an easy way to create a hearty leftover lunch or great dinner main. Serve with a salad and you have a complete meal in minutes!
Cut polenta in slices (similar to bread) and place in oiled oven dish.
Top with slices of tomato, cheese such as mozzarella, blue cheese or cheddar and a few tablespoons of parmesan.
Dot the top of the dish with a few little butter pieces and bake in the oven until the cheese has melted and the polenta turns golden-brown.
This will take approximately 20 minutes or less depending on how thick your polenta slices are. The thinner, the faster.
This is a good alternative to the oven-baguette.