Equipment
Ingredients
polenta
- 660 ml milk
- 3 garlic, minced
- 50 ml olive oil
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 200 g instant polenta
- 60 g parmesan, roughly grated
sauce
- 60 ml olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, finely chopped
- 6 garlic, minced
- 2 g red-pepper flakes
- 10 g oregano
- 410 g plum tomatoes, roughly crushed by hand
- 4 g sugar
- 200 g mozzarella, very thinly sliced
topping
- 30 g parmesan, finely grated
- 5 g parsley, finely chopped
- 1 g red-pepper flakes
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 833 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbohydrates
- 67 g
- Fat
- 50 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 1167 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 26 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 64 mg
- Potassium
- 833 mg
- Calcium
- 889 mg
- Iron
- 2.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 79 mg
- Phosphorus
- 667 mg
- Zinc
- 3.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 308 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 24 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 5.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 64 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.24 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.61 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 63 mcg
- Water
- 286 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Lay out a 40x30cm piece of parchment paper on a flat surface.
Combine milk, minced garlic, 50ml olive oil, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan.
Heat the milk mixture over medium-high heat until it begins to simmer.
Gradually whisk the instant polenta into the simmering milk to prevent lumps.
Cook the polenta for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly with a spatula, until thick and pulling away from the pan sides.
Stir in 60g of grated parmesan until the cheese has melted completely.
Transfer the polenta to the parchment paper and shape into a 33cm cylinder using your hands.
Roll the cylinder tightly in the parchment paper, twisting the ends to secure.
Chill the polenta cylinder in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Heat 30ml of olive oil in a 28cm ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chopped onions and cook for 6 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
Add minced garlic, 2g red-pepper flakes, and oregano; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Simmer the sauce over medium heat for 20 minutes until slightly thickened.
Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F).
Unwrap the chilled polenta and slice it into 24 rounds, each 1cm thick.
Layer the mozzarella slices over the tomato sauce in the skillet.
Arrange polenta slices in an overlapping spiral pattern over the cheese.
Drizzle the remaining 30ml of olive oil over the polenta slices.
Bake for 30-35 minutes at 230°C (450°F) until the polenta is golden and the sauce bubbles.
Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for 10 minutes.
Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over the dish before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For a richer polenta, use a combination of milk and chicken or vegetable broth.
- Ensure the polenta is chilled thoroughly before slicing; this makes it much easier to handle and cut clean rounds.
- Don't overcrowd the skillet when sautéing the onions and garlic for the sauce, as this will steam them rather than caramelize them, impacting flavor depth.
- If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can pass it through a food mill or use an immersion blender before adding the mozzarella.
- For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a splash of red wine to the tomato sauce as it simmers.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 2 months — Thaw in refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175°C (350°F) oven until the center is hot.
Troubleshooting
Polenta contains dry lumps
Cause: Polenta was added to the liquid too quickly without sufficient whisking
Fix: Press lumps against the side of the pan with a spatula to break them up
Prevention: Pour polenta in a very slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously
Polenta slices fall apart when cutting
Cause: Polenta was not chilled long enough to set
Fix: Cannot be fixed; proceed with baking as a rustic layer
Prevention: Ensure at least 1 hour of refrigeration; overnight is better
Cultural Context
Polenta, a dish with ancient Roman origins, is a staple in Northern Italian cuisine, particularly in regions like Lombardy and Piedmont. It evolved from a peasant food made with simple grains to a versatile dish that can be creamy and soft or firm enough to be sliced and fried or baked, as seen in this recipe.
