Polenta Casserole

Name: Polenta Casserole
Ingredients: 1 T extra virgin olive oil; 1 1/2 lbs sweet Italian sausage removed from casing and crumbled; 1 cup chopped onions; 1 cup chopped green bell peppers; 1 t minced garlic; 1 1/2 t Italian seasoning blend; 2 cups canned whole tomatoes with their juice crushed; 1/4 t freshly ground black pepper; salt to taste; CREAMY POLENTA RECIPE follows; 2 T cold unsalted butter; 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan; Polenta ingredients:; 4 cups milk; 2 cups chicken stock; 1 t salt; 1/4 t freshly ground white pepper; 1/8 t mace; 1 3/4 fine yellow cornmeal; 1 cup grated Parmesan; 3 large eggs; 2 large egg yolks

22 ingredients

9 steps

Ingredients

1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs sweet Italian sausage removed from casing and crumbled
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 t minced garlic
1 1/2 t Italian seasoning blend
2 cups canned whole tomatoes with their juice crushed
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste
CREAMY POLENTA RECIPE follows
2 T cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Polenta ingredients:
4 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground white pepper
1/8 t mace
1 3/4 fine yellow cornmeal
1 cup grated Parmesan
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2

Heat the olive oil in large skillet over high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up lumps. About 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate.
3

Add the onions and bell peppers to the pan and cook until they begin to soften - about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for another 2 minutes.
4

Return the sausage to the pan, stir to mix and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and stir to mix. Cook until most of liquid has evaporated about 7 minutes. Season with the black pepper and salt.
5

Pour sausage mixture into 9 x 13 baking dish, distributing it evenly. Pour the polenta on top, spreading it evenly. Top the polenta with butter and Parmesan. Bake until brown and bubbly about 30 minutes.
6

POLENTA DIRECTIONS
7

Combine the milk, chicken stock salt, pepper and mace in a large pot over high heat. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Whisk in the cornmeal. Once the mixture begins to thicken, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the mixture is tender, stirring constantly with wooden spoon and scraping down the sides of the pot, about 10 minutes. Add the Parmesan and stir to blend. Remove from heat and stir to cook for 3 minutes.
8

Meanwhile, combine the eggs and egg yolks in medium bowl and whisk until frothy.
9

Add 1/2 cup of the polenta to the eggs (to temper) and whisk to blend. Gradually add the egg mixture to the rest of the polanta in about 3 additions stirring constantly. Continue to stir vigorously about 2 more minutes. Reserve for casserole.