Polenta isn't just corn mush, Recipe for TORTE OF TRI-TONE POLENTA

[Guest guest]

This fancy three colored polenta is deliscious and pretty besides. Served with

the hearty sauce on top, and a salad on the side, it is a full meal. A meal fit

for guests.

 

TORTE OF TRI-TONE POLENTA

 

4 cans of diced tomoatoes

2 pound of fresh spinach

6 cloves of garlic. finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 tablespoon dried or 1 teaspoon fresh parsley

1 tablespoon or 1 teaspoon fresh basil

2 cups cooked kidney beans

1 pound fresh soft mazzerella cheese

1/2 cup plain, low fat yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

6 leeks

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 cups course ground corn meal polenta

8 cups vegetable broth

salt pepper

 

Saute garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil until it begins to become golden. Add

the diced pepper and continue sauteing until the garlic is golden and the

pepper beginning to soften. Add diced tomatoes and simmer for 40 minutes. Set

aside

 

Wash and destem the spinach. Spread over the bottom of a large saute pan with

the water still clinging to the leaves. Cover and cook over low heat until the

spinach is wilted. Press all of the liquid out of the spinach. Wrap wilted

spinach in a double thich paper towel and squeese to remove more liquid.

Coursely chop and set aside.

 

Thinly slice the white and pale green parts of the leeks. Discard the dark

green parts or save for another use. Saute the leeks in 2 tablespoons of

ol;ive oil until they become limp and begin to become golden. Set aside.

 

Pour broth into a two quart sauce pan and heat. Disolve salt in broth and stir

in the cornmeal with a wire wisk. Cook over moderate heal, stiring constantly

until the cornmeal begins to thicken. Change to a wooden spoon and continue

cooking, stiring almost continually until polenta is done and pulls away from

the sides of the pan. About 15 minutes.

 

Mash fresh mazarella cheese and stir in the yogure and thyme. Reserve.

 

Divide polenta into three bowles. Add 1 cup of sauce to one part and still

thoroughly. Add spinach to another part of the polenta and stirr thoroughly.

 

Spread polenta with tomato sauce mixed in over the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.

Spread on half of the cheese/yogurt mixture and then half of the leeks. Spread

on the polenta mixed with the spinach, then the rest of the cheese mixture and

the rest of the leeks. Top with the layer of plain polenta.

Bake in a 450* oven for 30 minutes. Allow to stand for at least 15 minutes

before serving to allow the polenta to firm up.

 

While polenta is resting, reheat the sauce if it has cooled and gently stir in

the kidney beans.

 

Cut into portions and serve so as not to disturbe layers. Top with a generous

amount of tomato-bean sauce.