Simple and quick to prepare, BAKED gratinated POLENTA was born as a leftover dish to reuse leftover polenta.
Despite this, it is so good that I’m sure you, like me, always make a little more than necessary so you have an excuse to cook it.
Baked polenta is one of the tastiest polenta recipes: a rich and flavorful first course, ideal to serve on cold winter days or as a Sunday lunch, because it satisfies not only the palate but also the eyes.
There are countless versions of baked polenta; today we’ll prepare it with my very quick sausage ragù, but you can also dress it with a simple tomato sauce and a few basil leaves or with a white ragù, with toma or gorgonzola — it will always be delicious.
A quick pass in the oven to gratinate the surface and your polenta with sauce au gratin is ready to be brought to the table.
GRATINATED BAKED POLENTA with sauce and cheese
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 25 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 261.98 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 13.58 (g) of which sugars 5.56 (g)
- Proteins 15.52 (g)
- Fat 16.10 (g) of which saturated 8.96 (g)of which unsaturated 6.38 (g)
- Fibers 1.66 (g)
- Sodium 786.18 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 180 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Water
- 2/3 cup Whole milk
- 1 1/4 cups Instant polenta (cornmeal)
- to taste Salt
- 3.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (grated (about 1 cup))
- to taste Butter
- 12 oz Ragù (sausage or meat sauce)
Tools
- Pot
- Hand whisk
- Pan
Preparation
First of all prepare the instant polenta following the instructions for the water/polenta ratio (I indicated the ones I use, but they are usually the same across brands).
Heat the milk and water in a large pot.
As soon as they start to boil, season with salt and slowly pour in the instant polenta while whisking quickly to avoid lumps.
Continue cooking for about 8–10 minutes, then remove from the heat, pour into a buttered baking dish and let it cool.
The recipe for my very quick sausage ragù can be found here https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/pasta-al-ragu-di-salsiccia-ricetta-veloce/
Take the baking dish with the polenta, which will have cooled in the meantime, and spread a generous layer of sausage ragù over it.
Finish by completely covering the surface with grated Parmigiano.
Dot the polenta with a few knobs of butter.
Finally bake in a fan (convection) oven at 410°F for about 20 minutes.
Finish with the last 5 minutes under the broiler so a crust forms on top.
Your gratinated polenta is ready to be taken out of the oven.
Wait a few minutes before serving otherwise you’ll burn yourself!
STORAGE
To store already-cooked polenta, line a plate with parchment paper and place the polenta on top. Then cover the polenta with plastic wrap so no air gets in: air tends to dry it out and make it hard.
TIPS AND VARIATIONS
Baked gratinated polenta can be dressed in many ways.
From the classic meat ragù (https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/ragu-di-carne-ricetta-della-tradizione/) to sausage-and-mushroom sauce, or with a cheese fondue, or simply with tomato sauce and mixed cheeses.
In this way, gratinated polenta also becomes an excellent fridge-cleanout recipe.
ON THE TABLE WITH TEA ON INSTAGRAM
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How do you reheat leftover polenta?
How to reheat polenta stored in the fridge? Simply put the polenta in a pan, add a small knob of butter and a splash of water, stir it for a few minutes and then heat it in the microwave. Alternatively, slice it cold and layer with sliced cheese and tomato sauce or ragù, sprinkle with Parmigiano and gratinate it in the oven for a few minutes.
How do you know when polenta is cooked?
Generally, if using cornmeal (flour) to make polenta, a slow cooking in a large pot is required for at least 45–50 minutes. You can tell the polenta is cooked when the compact mass detaches from the sides of the pot. The story is different for instant polenta, for which cooking times are significantly shorter (each brand varies but generally around 15–20 minutes).
How do you keep polenta warm?
Once the polenta is ready, pour it onto a wooden board and give it the typical half-sphere shape. To keep it warm, cover it with a cloth.
How to reheat polenta in the microwave?
To heat polenta in the microwave, place it in a glass or ceramic container and heat at full power for 3 minutes. You can also add cheese to taste.
How many grams of polenta per person?
The portions of instant polenta per person (e.g. Valsugana Polenta) are about 82 g of product for 375 ml of water — roughly 3 oz (about 1/2 cup) of polenta to 1 1/2 cups of water.
How do you store already-cooked polenta?
To store already-cooked polenta, line a plate with parchment paper and place the polenta on top. Then cover the polenta with plastic wrap so no air gets in: air tends to dry it out and make it hard.
How much water for 200 g of instant polenta?
It is usually recommended to use about 500 milliliters of water for every 100–150 grams of polenta. In US-friendly units: roughly 2 cups of water for every 3.5–5.3 oz (100–150 g) of polenta.
