Baked polenta with three cheeses

Baked polenta with three cheeses



Preparation Time: 30 minutes to make the polenta. 2 hours to cool the polenta (so able to cut) or make day earlier and refrigerate.

It will take only 10 minutes to assemble

Baking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

250g of Polenta

6 cups of Water (1.5 litres) little more if too dry

50g butter

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 bottle of tomato puree (mine had basil included)

thyme leaves 1 teaspoon

1 cup of fontina cheese grated

1 cup of grana padano

8 tablespoons of marscapone cheese

Boil the water in a large heavy based saucepan and add the salt.  Add polenta slowly whisking gently.  Reduce heat immediately so water is just simmering.  Stir to break up any large lumps appearing.  Once you have stirred the beginning you can let the polenta slowly bubble stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking to pan.  Add the butter and stir through after approx 25 minutes.

Pour the polenta into a shallow casserole or baking dish approx 5 cm deep.  Leave to cool completely.

Once cooled preheat your oven to 180 degrees celcius fanforced.  Turn the polenta out onto a board and slice it horizontally in two.  Pour half of your tomato puree into the empty dish base.  Place the bottom slice of polenta on top of the sauce and season with the thyme. Scatter some fontina cheese and marscapone cheese over the polenta with tablespoon.  Sprinkle with half the grana padano.

Place the other layer of polenta on the top and pour over remaining sauce.  Then sprinkle the remaining grana padano on top and some thyme leaves.  Bake for approx 30 minutes and then let sit for an additional 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!