Baked Polenta With Fresh Tomatoes And Parmesan Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.
• Place the water, milk, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the polenta and stir with a wooden spoon until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese and 2 chopped basil leaves; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the polenta to the prepared baking dish and arrange the remaining chilled pieces of butter over the top.
• Bake the polenta in the preheated oven until bubbly and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Decoratively arrange the slices of tomato over the top of the polenta, spread the remaining basil leaves over the tomatoes, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Return to the oven and bake until the tomatoes are warm and the Parmesan cheese is bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.
• Place the water, milk, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the polenta and stir with a wooden spoon until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese and 2 chopped basil leaves; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the polenta to the prepared baking dish and arrange the remaining chilled pieces of butter over the top.
• Bake the polenta in the preheated oven until bubbly and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Decoratively arrange the slices of tomato over the top of the polenta, spread the remaining basil leaves over the tomatoes, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Return to the oven and bake until the tomatoes are warm and the Parmesan cheese is bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450^F.
• Bring water to a boil and add 2 tsp salt.
• Bring water to a simmer.
• Gradually whisk in the cornmeal.
• Whisk smooth.
• Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven.
• Bake 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes until thick and no longer gritty.
• Stir in the butter and the Parmesan cheese.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with extra grated Parmesan cheese.

Steps:

• To prepare the tomato sauce: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes, yellow onion, and garlic in a baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and the skin is peeling away from the tomatoes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and put in a saucepan. Squeeze the garlic out of the bulb and into the tomatoes. Remove the skin from the onion. Coarsely chop the onion and add to the tomatoes. Add the olive oil to the tomatoes and puree with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. You may need to add up to 1/3 cup water if there is not enough liquid. Season with salt. Warm the tomato sauce just prior to use. To prepare the polenta: Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a simmer and stream in the polenta. Whisk together until there are no lumps. Cover with a lid and continue to cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Be careful when you go to stir the polenta-it tends to spit out pieces of the cornmeal, which is very hot. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the olive oil and basil. Drop in teaspoon-size pieces of the ricotta cheese. Pour the polenta into an 8-inch square baking pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and let sit for 1 hour or until the polenta has firmed up. Bake the polenta in the oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. Cut the polenta into 8 equal pieces. To serve: Place 1/2 cup warm tomato sauce in 4 shallow bowls and top with two pieces of the polenta. Sprinkle with the chopped basil.

Steps:

• For filling, heat oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and saute until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, season with pepper, and cook until the juices thicken and are almost evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the basil, and remove from heat.
• For polenta, preheat the oven to 400 degrees (if making right away). Grease a 2-to 2 1/2 quart shallow baking dish.
• Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Place the cornmeal in a large bowl and whisk in the cold water. (For lump-free polenta) Continue to whisk while pouring it into the boiling broth. Bring to a boil, whisking almost constantly. Once the polenta begins to boil, reduce heat to medium. Whisk polenta continuously until it begins to tear away from the sides of the pan, about 5 minutes. Whisk in salt, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese.
• Immediately pour half of polenta into baking dish. Quickly spread on the tomato mixture. Crumble the feta evenly over the tomato mixture. Immediately spoon on the remaining polenta, covering entire surface. Sprinkle the top with 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese. Dot with butter bits.
• Let the polenta rest at least 15 minutes, or up to 24 hours. If longer than one hour, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before baking. Bake 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and golden on top. Let polenta sit 10 minutes or so before serving.

Steps:

• Bring 2 of the cups of water to the boil and slowly add the polenta and herbs , whisking all the time. This ensures the polenta won't form lumps.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.
• When the polenta becomes too thick, add the remaining water a little at a time.
• Line a tray with cling film and spread the polenta about 1 inch thick using the back of a spoon. Cool overnight. Once cooled, cut into shapes brush with oil and season with salt and pepper and grill on hot grill.
• Heat the balsamic vinegar, garlic and sugar in a saucepan. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the asparagus and cook for 3 minute.
• To serve: arrange the polenta shapes on serving dishes, top with the asparagus and tomatoes, shave over the parmesan and drizzle with a little olive oil. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with lots of fresh crusty bread.