Sometimes a recipe enters my lexicon of food preparation and I forget that it has some significance to my Tomato Quest; i.e. finding ways to use tomatoes. I really consider tomatoes to be a super fruit - they can be used in so many ways and, when they are the perfect ripeness and sweetness, are just as good raw as they are cooked.
So there I was, looking for a new(ish) recipe appropriate for colder weather and a recipe from my past came to mind. This is a good alternative to a traditional lasagna with the wide noodles. One can also entirely leave out the meat for a more vegetarian friendly dish.
So there I was, looking for a new(ish) recipe appropriate for colder weather and a recipe from my past came to mind. This is a good alternative to a traditional lasagna with the wide noodles. One can also entirely leave out the meat for a more vegetarian friendly dish.
NOTES:
- If fresh basil is not available, make the sauce with canned whole tomatoes that have basil already in cooked with the tomatoes. If you prefer a Fontina over a Mozzarella, feel free to experiment and substitute.
- Also – you can use a jar of prepared Marinara or other type of spaghetti sauce if you need to save time. Make sure to heat the sauce, add the sausage, and allow to simmer for a few minutes before using it to prepare the casserole.
- You can also use prepared polenta, but I find that the cost is more than I want to spend, and I really prefer to spread the polenta mixture as opposed to cutting the log of polenta and layering the indivual pieces.
- This dish could probably meet Vegan requirements if you could find a reasonable alternative to the cheeses used in the recipe.
- For the oven dish I have also used a bread/meatloaf style dish which actually allows a better cut of the "lasagna" for serving.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (with basil if you have it)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (or 1 Tbsp fresh, chopped)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3 whole Italian style sausages
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta or coarse cornmeal
2 cups grated Low Fat Mozzarella cheese
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan
Instructions/Method
- Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Remove casings from the sausage and place the sausage in the non-stick pan. Cook and lightly brown the sausage over medium heat, breaking up the sausage so that it is in smaller, crumbly, pieces. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan on medium heat; add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until onions are translucent and carrots just tender (5-10 minutes). Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Add the tomatoes and their juice (break up tomatoes as you put them in), parsley, and oregano. Add the pre-cooked sausage and bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced to about 3 cups. Mix in fresh basil, season to taste with salt and pepper.
- In a large saucepan, bring a quart of water to a boil, adding a teaspoon of salt. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often and gradually add the Parmesan cheese. Cook until thick and about 10 minutes. The polenta mixture needs to be cooked through – taste to make sure that the polenta is not still grainy in texture, but more like a smooth Cream of Wheat.
- Prepare a baking dish, brush 8x8x2 Pyrex or ceramic baking dish with olive oil. Spread 1/3 of the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Pour half of the polenta over the sauce. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Pour another third of the sauce over the cheese. Pour the remaining half of the polenta over the sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, cover with remaining sauce. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
- Bake in the preheated oven until completely heated through, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Use a knife to cut the servings and a square-edged spatula to place on plates. Garnish with additional parsley or basil and some freshly grated parmesan.
Serve with your favorite medium-bodied red wine and a green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette.
Yield: Serves 6.
You can also find this recipe on my Cooking 4 U Facebook page:
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