BAKED POLENTA WITH WILD MUSHROOM AND TOMATO SAUCE

Baked Polenta With Wild Mushroom and Tomato Sauce image

Provided by Craig Claiborne

Time 40m

Yield 8 or more servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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Ingredients

Polenta made from two cups of cornmeal (see recipe)
1 3/4 pounds red ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, about 3 cups, or use 3 cups canned imported tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
Salt to taste if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes
1/2 pound thinly sliced wild mushrooms such as shiitake, porcini, Black Forest or cepes
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

Prepare polenta and chill.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Put tomatoes in saucepan and bring to boil. Let cook until reduced to about 2 cups.
Heat half of oil in small skillet and add garlic. Cook briefly and add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Add hot pepper flakes.
Thinly slice mushrooms. Heat remaining oil in skillet and add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook briefly, stirring, until mushrooms give up liquid. Cook until liquid evaporates. Add mushrooms to tomato sauce and simmer 3 minutes.
Cut polenta into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange about 1/3 of slices on bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 mushroom and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with 1/3 of butter and 1/3 of cheese. Add second layer of polenta. Add another layer of tomato and mushroom sauce, another 1/3 of butter and another 1/3 of cheese.
Add final layer of polenta and sprinkle with remaining butter and cheese.
Place in oven and bake 20 minutes. Preheat broiler to high. Run dish under broiler until golden brown on top.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 329, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 38 grams, Fat 16 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 453 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams