Polenta Casserole with Mushrooms, Tomatoes, and Ricotta
For smooth preparation, I cut all the vegetables first, then start the polenta. You can make the sauce while the polenta is cooking.
For smooth preparation, I cut all the vegetables first, then start the polenta. You can make the sauce while the polenta is cooking.
I really enjoyed this recipe, with a few tweaks. In addition to rosemary I added thyme and basil, as well as fresh spinach to the tomato mixture. I agree with another reviewer who said there was not nearly enough polenta to spread on the pan, so I used an 18 oz. package of organic polenta as my base. I didn't add a top layer of polenta or butter, just the tomato mixture topped with ricotta and parmesan (though did add a bit more of the cheese than specified as I am a cheese lover!).
This sounded great in theory, but ended up being way too heavy-handed on the rosemary (1/2 a teaspoon is plenty), and there was not enough polenta to easily do three layers in a 9X13'' pan. This would be great wil some basil & spinach in it. Next time, I will also mix the parmesan & butter into the polenta and shape it into wedges, with the tomato & ricotta on top. With some tweaks, this could be a weekday-dinner mainstay! :D
I've made this many times and absolutely love it. I usually make 3/4 of the recipe in a 8-inch square pan, which gives the two of us some leftovers for lunch. My only change is to use more ricotta, but I use the fat-free (1/2 the calories!). If you assemble it the night before, it's easy to pop it into a hot oven after work and the flavors have time to meld. Served with CL roasted cauliflower (cooked at 400 also) and some steamed spinach.