Polenta, tomato and pesto casserole

12 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
4 cups Milk
1 tablespoon Unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Sugar
½ teaspoon Salt
1⅓ cup Stone-ground yellow cornmeal
½ cup Grated Parmesan cheese
⅔ cup Ready-made basil pesto
12 ounces Mozzarella cheese; grated
2 larges Tomatoes; sliced 1/2\" thick (2 to 3)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 7-by-ll-inch or 2-½-quart casserole.

Combine milk, butter, sugar and salt in a heavy saucepan and heat just to a simmer. Slowly add cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Lower the heat and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture has thickened and leaves the sides of the pan, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.

Immediately pour half the cornmeal mixture (polenta) into prepared pan.

Work quickly before polenta hardens and is difficult to spread. Top with half of the pesto, spread evenly over surface. Sprinkle lightly with about a third of the mozzarella. Top with tomato slices.

If polenta has cooled and is too thick to spread, whisk in a little hot milk. Pour remaining polenta over tomato layer. Spread polenta with a knife to reach edges of pan. Cover polenta surface with remaining pesto and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.

Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbling. Or refrigerate, covered, overnight and bake for 40 minutes at 375F degrees when ready to serve. Place casserole under the broiler for a few minutes to brown top. Let stand 20 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.

(Nutrition Information per serving: 272 calories, 16 grams fat, 46 milligrams cholesterol, 379 milligrams sodium.) "Delicious Mix of Easter Traditions," by Tina Danze, Universal Press-Syndicate 1998/04/08>Riverside PE >Hanneman/Buster/McRecipe Recipe by: CLASSIC ITALIAN COOKBOOK Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by KitPATh <phannema@...> on Apr 08, 1998

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