Polenta Lasagna

I came across this recipe at my Mom's house over the weekend, and could not resist giving it a try. This lasagna uses many of the classic ingredients, ricotta, mozzarella, a red sauce with sausage, with one exception. There are no lasagna noodles in this dish. Instead, it asks for prepared polenta cut into slices and layered with the other ingredients. I have never worked with prepared commercial polenta before, and so decided to prepare my own to use as a substitute.

This recipe turned out very well. You could taste all of the lasagna components, and the flavor of the polenta also came through very well. 5 minutes was not long enough to let the lasagna set up. As I had two Hungry Puppies waiting at the dinner table, I cut it anyway so it was very messy and sort of oozed when I served it. This problem can be solved simply by giving the lasagna more time to set up after taking it out of the oven. I also wish that the polenta had a little more bite to it, as I felt it to be a little mushy. I think that this can be overcome by preparing a stiffer polenta.

Polenta Lasagna

2 18 ounce tubes prepared polenta (I used homemade polenta, recipe at the end)

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 egg

1 1/2 cups jarred pasta sauce (use your favorite, or homemade)

6 ounces Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 400F. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish (I used a 9x9 and it was very full) with non-stick cooking spray. Slice each tube of polenta into 9 rounds. Arrange 9 rounds in a single layer over the bottom of the casserole dish. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, egg, garlic powder, black pepper, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. In a separate bowl, mix pasta sauce and sausage. Spread the ricotta mixture in an even layer over the polenta. Spoon half of sauce over the ricotta mixture and spread evenly. Arrange 9 remaining rounds of polenta in a single layer over the sauce. Top with remaining sauce, then sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese over the top.

Cover tightly with a greased piece of tin foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake lasagna for 20 minutes more, until cheese is lightly browned. Let lasagna stand 5 minutes before serving (Let it set up for 15 minutes). Serves 6

Homemade Polenta (Better Homes and Gardens)

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup cold water

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, bring 2 3/4 cups water to a boil. Meanwhile, combine cornmeal, cold water, and salt in a small bowl. Carefully add cornmeal mixture into boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture returns to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture is very thick, stirring occasionally. Pour polenta into a lightly greased 8x4 inch loaf pan. Cool, then cover and chill for several hours, or overnight. Remove from pan and slice as desired.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy