Polenta Lasagna Loaf
5.0
Ingredients
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 95 min
- Total
- 205 min
Instructions
- 1 Gather all ingredients
- 2 Prepare polenta: Bring water and salt to a boil over high heat. Whisk polenta into the boiling water and continue whisking until it starts to thicken, about 1 minute.
- 3 Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until polenta is soft and has lost its grainy texture, 25 to 40 minutes.
- 4 Remove polenta from the stove and quickly whisk in butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
- 5 Transfer polenta to a silicone baking liner (or oiled foil or parchment paper). Spread it out evenly almost to the edges into an 8x13-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and smooth out the top with your hands. Place a baking sheet on top and press slightly to further flatten.
- 6 Slide the silicone liner and polenta onto the baking sheet and place in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.
- 7 Remove polenta from the refrigerator and cut, from one long edge to the other, into 8-inch long strips.
- 8 Prepare filling: Stir ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, mozzarella, salt, pepper, cayenne, egg, and parsley in a bowl until well combined.
- 9 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a loaf pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Place one strip of polenta into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Spread 1/3 of the filling on top as evenly as you can. Top with about 1 cup hot meat sauce.
- 10 Repeat polenta-filling-sauce layers twice more. Place the last piece of polenta on top, then gently shake and tap the pan to settle the contents. Place the loaf pan on top of a sheet pan to catch any spills while baking. Loosely wrap the top of the loaf pan with foil, making sure it's not touching the polenta.
- 11 Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven, discard foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes.
- 12 Divide onto 6 plates. Garnish with parsley and serve with additional sauce.
By John Mitzewich