RECIPE: Polenta Pie With Spinach

[Guest guest]

POLENTA PIE WITH SPINACH

 

Serves 6 to 8.

 

You can make this fat-free, if you are so inclined (I did), but I include the

olive oil and

directions for making it the ÔregularÕ way.

 

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 lge onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or to taste)

2 - 10-oz pgkgs frozen chopped spinach, cooked and squozen as dry as possible*

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil or 1 Tbsp dried

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, reconstituted and finely chopped

4 or 5 mushrooms, finely chopped

pinch of crushed chiles or to taste (optional, but we like it)

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 cups water and 3 cups vegetable broth (low sodium)

2 cups polenta or coarse-ground yellow cornmeal

Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

2 cups favourite pasta sauce (optional)

 

*I thawed the spinach, did not cook it, but squeezed it very dry.

 

Set your oven to 375 F. Oil a 10-inch pie dish and set aside.

 

FOR THE FILLING:

Heat half the oil in a skillet on medium, and soften the onion in it, stirring

for a couple of

minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they give up a little

liquid. Add half

the garlic and cook for another minute and the sundried tomatoes and cook for

another

minute.

 

Put in the spinach together with the chopped or dried basil, if using, the salt

and pepper

and stir well with the other ingredients for a minute or two.

 

FOR THE POLENTA:

Bring the combined 6 cups of water and broth to a boil over high heat in a LARGE

pot.

Slowly add the polenta, whisking it in so that it doesnÕt go into lumps - or use

a wooden

spoon, stirring all the while. Reduce heat to a bare simmer. Stir in in 2 Tbsp

of the

remaining oil (I skipped the oil) and the remaining garlic and salt. Cover the

pan and cook,

stirring now and then, around 15 minutes or until the polenta is cooked. Remove

from the

heat but leave it covered for about 5 minutes.

 

TO ASSEMBLE:

Immediately spoon half of the polenta into your prepared pie plate. You will

need to use

the back of a large spoon to press it down and smooth it out nicely. Spoon the

spinach

filling over the top of the polenta ÔpiecrustÕ - to within 1/2 inch of the

outside rim of the

polenta. Put the remaining polenta on top, carefully spreading it (I used my

fingers) and

smooth the surface with the back of your big spoon. You can brush the top with a

little oil.

 

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 mins or

until the

top begins to brown a little. Remove from oven and let it settle for another 15

minutes.

 

Cut into wedges, garnish and accompany with the sauce if you are using it.

 

Can be assembled a day before actually baking it. Reheats nicely.

 

Love, Pat

[Guest guest]

That sound’s delicious Pat. I will be trying it this next week!

 

 

 

POLENTA PIE WITH SPINACH

 

Serves 6 to 8.

 

You can make this fat-free, if you are so inclined (I did), but I include

the olive oil and

directions for making it the ÔregularÕ way.

 

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 lge onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or to taste)

2 - 10-oz pgkgs frozen chopped spinach, cooked and squozen as dry as

possible*

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil or 1 Tbsp dried

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, reconstituted and finely chopped

4 or 5 mushrooms, finely chopped

pinch of crushed chiles or to taste (optional, but we like it)

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 cups water and 3 cups vegetable broth (low sodium)

2 cups polenta or coarse-ground yellow cornmeal

Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

2 cups favourite pasta sauce (optional)

 

*I thawed the spinach, did not cook it, but squeezed it very dry.

 

Set your oven to 375 F. Oil a 10-inch pie dish and set aside.

 

FOR THE FILLING:

Heat half the oil in a skillet on medium, and soften the onion in it,

stirring for a couple of

minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they give up a little

liquid. Add half

the garlic and cook for another minute and the sundried tomatoes and cook

for another

minute.

 

Put in the spinach together with the chopped or dried basil, if using, the

salt and pepper

and stir well with the other ingredients for a minute or two.

 

FOR THE POLENTA:

Bring the combined 6 cups of water and broth to a boil over high heat in a

LARGE pot.

Slowly add the polenta, whisking it in so that it doesnÕt go into lumps - or

use a wooden

spoon, stirring all the while. Reduce heat to a bare simmer. Stir in in 2

Tbsp of the

remaining oil (I skipped the oil) and the remaining garlic and salt. Cover

the pan and cook,

stirring now and then, around 15 minutes or until the polenta is cooked.

Remove from the

heat but leave it covered for about 5 minutes.

 

TO ASSEMBLE:

Immediately spoon half of the polenta into your prepared pie plate. You will

need to use

the back of a large spoon to press it down and smooth it out nicely. Spoon

the spinach

filling over the top of the polenta ÔpiecrustÕ - to within 1/2 inch of the

outside rim of the

polenta. Put the remaining polenta on top, carefully spreading it (I used my

fingers) and

smooth the surface with the back of your big spoon. You can brush the top

with a little oil.

 

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 mins or

until the

top begins to brown a little. Remove from oven and let it settle for another

15 minutes.

 

Cut into wedges, garnish and accompany with the sauce if you are using it.

 

Can be assembled a day before actually baking it. Reheats nicely.

 

Love, Pat

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

> That sound's delicious Pat. I will be trying it this next week!

 

Let me know how it goes. I meant to say - and don't think I did - that next time

I shall

use less polenta - on top, at least. If I work quickly I should be able to

spread it more

thinly. It was good the way it was - no problem there - each time I have made

it, but

I am cutting back on stuff like polenta a bit so . . . (Oh dear, still got

three more kilos to

lose!)

 

You can see a pic of it on my http://www.beanvegan.blogspot.com/

 

I'm no good at taking such pics, but it gives an idea what a badly mauled slice

looks like

LOL.

 

Love, Pat