Polenta Torte

Description

This is my favorite. To serve, spoon directly from the soufflé dish or for a spectacular presentation, bake in an 8 inch spring-form pan and unmold. Experiment with a variety of different greens. If frozen kale is unavailable, use all frozen spinach. Serve with grilled or roasted meats, or with a whole grain bread for lunch. A glass of italian red wine would be a nice addition.

Ingredients

• Frozen Chopped Spinach
• Frozen Chopped Kale
• Olive Oil
• Onion
• Garlic Cloves
• Smoked Ham
• Pepper
• Water
• Yellow Cornmeal
• Salt
• Romano Cheese
• Fontina Cheese

Instructions

1. Squeeze spinach and kale dry
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat
3. Add onion and garlic
4. Saut 3 minutes
5. Add spinach, kale, ham and pepper
6. Saut 4 minutes
7. Preheat oven to hot 400f butter 2 quart souffl dish, or line 8 inch springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil
8. Butter sides and bottom
9. Bring 4 cups water to boiling in large saucepan
10. Stir together remaining 1 cup water, the cornmeal and salt in a bowl
11. Gradually stir cornmeal mixture into boiling water
12. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly
13. Spread 1 / 3 of polenta in prepared dish
14. Cover with half the greens, half the romano and 1 / 3 of the fontina
15. Repeat layering one more time
16. Spread with remaining polenta
17. Sprinkle with remaining fontina
18. Bake in preheated hot oven 400f for 30 minutes
19. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving
20. If using springform pan, remove sides
21. Makes 8 servings
22. Microwave directions
23. Combine oil, onion and garlic in microwave safe 2 quart casserole
24. Microwave, uncovered, at 100% power 3 minutes
25. Add spinach, kale, ham and pepper
26. Microwave, uncovered, at 100% power 5 minutes
27. Transfer vegetable mixture to small bowl
28. Combine water, cornmeal and salt in microwave safe 2 quart measure
29. Cover with paper toweling
30. Microwave at 100% power 7 minutes
31. Whisk well
32. Microwave, uncovered, at 100% power 4 minutes
33. Whisk again
34. Assemble torte in same 2 quart casserole
35. Spread 1 / 3 of polenta in prepared dish
36. Cover with half the greens, half the romano and 1 / 3 of the fontina
37. Repeat layering one more time
38. Spread with remaining polenta
39. Sprinkle with remaining fontina
40. Microwave, uncovered, at 50% power 5 minutes
41. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes
42. The family circle cookbook