Description
Comfort food, italian-style: using canned tomatoes and store bought polenta. Recipe comes from gourmet magazine.
Ingredients
- Stewed Tomatoes
- Ground Allspice
- Ground Lamb
- Prepared Polenta
- Whole Milk Mozzarella
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Instructions
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400f
- Drain 1 can tomatoes, reserving juice, then break up tomatoes into 1 / 2-inch pieces with a spoon if necessary
- Puree the second can of tomatoes, including juice and reserved juice, 1 / 4 teaspoon salt and 1 / 8 teaspoon allspice in a blender or use hand blender, until smooth
- Transfer tomato puree to a 2-quart heavy saucepan and boil uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 / 2 cup, about 20 minutes, remove from heat
- Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot, then brown lamb with 1 / 2 teaspoon salt and 1 / 4 teaspoon black pepper, and remaining 1 / 2 teaspoon allspice, stirring and breaking up lumps, about 5 minutes
- Add drained tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until juices are absorbed, about 1 minute
- Cut polenta into 1 / 4-inch-thick slices with a sharp knife and cover bottom of a 9-inch glass pie plate with half of polenta slices
- Scatter half of lamb mixture over polenta, then top with half of mozzarella, then remaining polenta
- Scatter remaining lamb on top and spread tomato sauce over meat, then top with remaining mozzarella
- Bake, uncovered, until bubbling and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes
- Let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes before serving, enjoy