Baked Polenta with Italian Sausage
We were going through your grandmother Emmy’s recipes and came across this one that I remembered her making when I was a teenager. What intrigued us was that the polenta was made in the microwave with very little difficulty and no need to stir constantly. To our amazement the polenta cooked up easily and quickly. Using the best ingredients is always important, but above all use the best sausage here. This dish is delicious. The finer the corn meal the faster the polenta comes to the right consistency, i.e. using Quaker Oats only takes about 12 minutes, coarser grinds will take 18 or more minutes.
Serves 4 to 6
Firm Polenta
4 cups
water
1 1/4 cups
Quaker Oats yellow corn meal
2 teaspoons
salt
4 tablespoons
butter
1/4 teaspoon
ground pepper
Steps:
- Combine water, corn meal and salt in a 2 quart glass casserole. Microwave on high, uncovered for 12-18 minutes. Stir well every 6 minutes. Microwaves vary, so it may require a minute or two added to the last six minutes to get the polenta to the proper consistency.
- Remove from microwave, stir in 3 tablespoons of butter and the pepper.
- Lightly grease a 9x5x4” loaf pan with half of the remaining butter. Pour polenta into the pan and brush top with the last of the butter. Let stand until cool.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled and firm. 2 to 3 hours. Cut into 3/8” slices.
Italian Sausage Sauce
1 pound
sweet Italian sausage
1-2 tablespoons
olive oil
1
small onion, chopped
1
garlic clove, minced
1
large can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons
dried basil
1 tablespoon
minced parsley
to taste
salt and pepper
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425°
- Remove casings from sausage. In a sauté pan, in a small amount of oil, break up and lightly brown the sausage, add basil. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened but not browned. Stir in tomatoes, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Cover partially and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, breaking up tomatoes. Remove cover and simmer for 15 additional minutes.
- Place polenta slices into a well buttered and slightly sauced standard, shallow, baking dish; overlapping pieces slightly. Cover polenta with sauce. Bake uncovered at 425° for 10 to 15 minutes until heated through. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.
| 4 cups | water |
| 1 1/4 cups | Quaker Oats yellow corn meal |
| 2 teaspoons | salt |
| 4 tablespoons | butter |
| 1/4 teaspoon | ground pepper |
Steps:
- Combine water, corn meal and salt in a 2 quart glass casserole. Microwave on high, uncovered for 12-18 minutes. Stir well every 6 minutes. Microwaves vary, so it may require a minute or two added to the last six minutes to get the polenta to the proper consistency.
- Remove from microwave, stir in 3 tablespoons of butter and the pepper.
- Lightly grease a 9x5x4” loaf pan with half of the remaining butter. Pour polenta into the pan and brush top with the last of the butter. Let stand until cool.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled and firm. 2 to 3 hours. Cut into 3/8” slices.
| 1 pound | sweet Italian sausage |
| 1-2 tablespoons | olive oil |
| 1 | small onion, chopped |
| 1 | garlic clove, minced |
| 1 | large can diced tomatoes |
| 2 teaspoons | dried basil |
| 1 tablespoon | minced parsley |
| to taste | salt and pepper |
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425°
- Remove casings from sausage. In a sauté pan, in a small amount of oil, break up and lightly brown the sausage, add basil. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened but not browned. Stir in tomatoes, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Cover partially and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, breaking up tomatoes. Remove cover and simmer for 15 additional minutes.
- Place polenta slices into a well buttered and slightly sauced standard, shallow, baking dish; overlapping pieces slightly. Cover polenta with sauce. Bake uncovered at 425° for 10 to 15 minutes until heated through. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.