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📕 What is Polenta?
Polenta is a typical Italian, central European maize (cornmeal) porridge type.
Polenta resembles grits, but it's deep yellow in color.
Before polenta was introduced to Europe, they used other ingredients such as chestnut flour or millet.
Polenta is cooked with liquids such as water, stocks or milk for a couple of minutes.
It's a very quick side dish to prepare and you can easily alter the flavors to your liking.
This layered polenta casserole includes some Mediterranean flavors.
I add basil and olives to the tomato paste to enhance the flavors.
That way you can enjoy this baked polenta dish on its own.
However, I like to serve it with a green salad or a broccoli radish salad for a change.
📜 Polenta Casserole variations
You can also enhance this casserole dish by adding the following ingredients to the sauce.
- Rotisserie Chicken
- Cooked Shrimp
- Tuna Flakes
- Canned Chickpeas
- Leftover ham from the holidays
👁️ More Casserole Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Layered Polenta Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
For the Polenta Layer:
- 1 cup Polenta
- ½ cup Water
- ½ cup Milk
- 2 Tablespoon Butter
- pinch Salt
- pinch Black Pepper Ground
For the Tomato, Olive Layer:
- 10 Olives whole or sliced
- 1 cups Tomato Sauce
- pinch Salt
- pinch Black Pepper Ground
- Basil optional
For the White Sauce (Bechamel):
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
- 1 ¾ cups Milk
- pinch Salt
- pinch Black Pepper Ground
For the Topping:
Instructions
- For the Polenta, cook the Polenta, water, milk, butter, salt, and pepper together. Keep on low heat and stir continuously for about 5 minutes.
- Keep your attention towards the Polenta, cause it can burn on really quickly and cooks up super fast. Remove it from the heat once it starts to boil up.
- Spread half amount of the polenta into a baking dish to create the first layer.
- For the white sauce, heat up a saucepan with the butter.
- Continue adding in the White flour. Keep on stirring with a whisk on slow heat.
- Then pour in the milk. Stir well, season and keep on whisking the sauce till it gets thick by itself. Remove from the heat and keep aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350 Celsius/ 180 Fahrenheit.
- Mix the Tomato Sauce with the olives, basil, salt, and black pepper
- Spread the mixed tomato sauce over the polenta layer
- Then add the remaining polenta to form the layer over the tomato paste.
- Then spread the white sauce over the polenta to create a creamy layer.
- At last spread the Parmesan Cheese over the white sauce.
- Bake the casserole dish for about 15 minutes at 350 Fahrenheit/180 Celsius.
Notes
- Use a homemade or readymade tomato sauce. I made my own chunky tomato sauce by adding whole onions to it for texture. You can add regular ragu as well.
I didn’t see ham on the ingredient list, did I miss something? I want to try this and Use for a meatless Monday.
The recipe doesn't include meat, but I mentioned in the post that the recipe can be adjusted by adding meat or seafood to the dish, it's under the title “Polenta Casserole variations”. If you want to make this for meatless Monday, you can just use the base recipe (as it is written in the recipe card), since it's vegetarian and therefore meatless. I hope this helps.
I wish only people who made it would comment. I'd like reviews to be about how it tastes - not how the photos look.
I've never had polenta prepared this way before! This looks so rich and tasty! Lovely one, Helene!
Oh yes its rich but not too much either and I feel with the mediterranean touch it can be nearly enjoyed with any weather. Thank you Lyn! 😀
Hi, i'm Alberto from Italy i live in Friuli Venezia Giulia under Austria.
Your recipe is like one of my family....
You have more beautifull recipe in your blog.
Okay seriously this is pure genius. I am really loving this. I would have never thought to do this.
I love this polenta gratin and would never have the idea to cook polenta this way.
Hi sissi!
this dish came to my mind some months ago in austria when I had no lasagne sheets to make lasagne. ^.^
That's a beautiful looking dish with so many wonderful ingredients. This is definitely something my whole family would enjoy. And I love your image of the butterfly! xx
Thank you Charlie! xo
It's hard to believe I've never used or tasted polenta before. Ever. And that looks mouth-watering 😀
That's really hard to believe Kiran, you have to check it out, its so versatile!
Cheesy and decadent! Looks delicious, I would have to make it without the ham though 🙂 I always try to use quality ingredients but every now and then I will choose a store brand, but a good store brand. Some of them are a great deal like the Whole Foods brand.
That's odd because here its pretty much the opposite most of the time with quality products. Those famous brands don't have great quality, the smaller ones, made and created by people who live in the neighborhood, are always organic and taste much better. For example the olives I used are imported by a family friend from Crete and he keeps his olives, the oil and cheese in the local stores for sale.
Quality? Start researching all ingredients period, everything is toxic in our foods. At least for the past year bioengineered ingredients aka GMO is listed on basically everything.
Transhumanism began long ago. You are what you eat.
Mother Nature provides abundance from the garden. The sun and water ensures growth. Everything else is man-made.
We think there's so many brands when actually a handful of families buy/bought out everyone else eons ago and it's all the same poison.
For eyes to see and ears to hear.
Be safe out there.
I've never made a layered polenta dish before but this looks incredible. I love all the flavors going on here. This dish spells comfort, so I'm sure on a rough day of work this hit the spot!
Vicki I am glad that you think the same way as I do. =D
Great dish! I really like polenta, but have never had it in a casserole. Really nice combo of flavors that you've put together, and perfect for the chilly weather we're beginning to enjoy. Good stuff - thanks.
Thank you, exactly my thought. Even here it will get cooler in the nights and that day when I made it was a typical rainy monsoon sunday.
Im literally drooling here!! For me this is the comfort good & would not mind induging in this almost every day!!!!Cheesy & has a nice, perfect slice..Do send me some Helena 🙂
Wish I could send you some, you life too far away go! =P
A recipe to treasure Helena! Am baking one for me this weekend...can't wait to bite into it.
oh cool let me know how you liked it! =D
That sounds like every day to me 😉 This looks delicious! I'm in LOVE with all the cheese!
I am in love with it too ^.^ nice cheesey and home made!
That looks like a big hug in a serve! 😀
LOL
What a beautiful polenta~! So cheesey, and full of rich flavors. Ham has always been a problem in India. I hope someday they start getting really standard quality of ham out there.
Oh yeah I hope for that as well! Whatever they r selling smells weird when defrosted. They don't sell fresh pink ham here around
yum yum! firsti've heard of polenta in casserole, but of course it would be brilliant, since it goes so well with cheese!
I had the same thought shuhan. 😉
This does look like a rather heavy, but comforting dish! Perfect for the winter when I tend to make casseroles. Love the layers of polenta and of course, the olives - definitely have to have good olives! Thanks for the story behind your name! Very interesting and your pictures are gorgeous!
thank you MJ! Its great when its rather cool outside and especially in winter when we like to get reminded of the warm Mediterranean sea.
I never thought to use polenta in a casserole but it is just genius! I must give it a try
for sure totaly worthwhile to try this dish out
A comforting and delicious casserole, Helene. The golden cheesy topping looks marvelous.
Oh look at that cheesy layered goodness! Fabulous dish Helene. I love how you named your blog too. This was a fun post to read. And I love the photo with the rose! So pretty!
Glad you had your fun here, thats the whole purpose of this blog post. =D
I am DEFINITELY in a comfort food kind of mood so this sounds perfect!
Hi Joanne! I was a bit worried about you after hearing the devastating news...
This looks phenomenal, Helene!!! Your photography is impressive, too 🙂
thank you Liz! and that from the baking queen in person. 😉
Polenta is my favorite! I love love your recipe....AND soooooo need to make your gorgeous recipe:-) That looks like some layered happiness! Your pics are beautiful:-) Hugs, Terra
I had a feeling that it would be your kind of food Terra. layered happiness is the right word. hehe =D
I know that feeling! I am always craving carbs at night. I love meals like this. Make you feel all warm and sleepy.
exactly, it gives u a feeling of peace in the night before going to sleep.
It looks absolutely delicious! That is sucha wonderful and comforting dish.
Cheers,
Rosa
Thank you Rosa, glad you like the idea of this dish. 😉
What a unique way to eat polenta 🙂
Such cheesy goodness!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
P.S. Come enter my international giveaway to celebrate my 1st Blogiversary!
Great to satisfy our senses and super filling after a long day. Don't u think? 😉
Love this lasagne like polenta casserole Helene. I bet it is packed with flavor. Lovely post and waving hi! 🙂
huhu Shulie! =)
Oh yes its stuffed with wonderful flavors and in the same time its not overwhelming. Best way to enjoy it is with some green salad and french dressing and some good wine.
I have only had polenta probably a few number of times, but not in cheesy casserole like this! Looks wonderful, Helene! Casserole is perfect for chilly weather and very comforting...
Nami, I know you will enjoy it, in fact I bet that anybody will like it who loves cheese. The weather is changing in the world so its getting slowly colder all over the northern hemisphere, thats why I thought of sharing my polenta casserole.
Yumm! I love polenta! what a unique idea to bake it this way like a lasagna. Looks so yummy!
exactly like a lasagne. =) u can make it without ham if you want aparna! I know u r vegetarian, so I tried to make it in a way that it can be easily modified.
delicious! and it's so cheesy 🙂
you bet! cheesy goodness... mhm 😀
exactly! so delicious but i hope it's not sinful to me
lol no don't worry, its not that heavy at the end. I added a white sauce instead of heavy cream. For me its heavy because we eat very very light compared to what we r used to in europe.