Serves 4
This is a fun twist on traditional lasagna. The preserved tomatoes make the sauce so delicious and fresh!
11⁄2 cups polenta
1⁄2 pound spinach and other vegetables, if desired, chopped 1 jar crushed heirloom tomatoes (you’ll be happy you tucked them in jars)
Herbs from the garden
1⁄2 pound Ricotta cheese
Mozzarella or Parmesan, grated
Begin by cooking the polenta. Combine 11⁄2 cups of polenta to 3 cups of water in a pan and cook for 20 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
For cooked-down tomato sauce, this trick will take hours off of the cook time. Pour the entire contents of the jar of crushed heirloom tomatoes into a pan. As soon as it begins to simmer, pour it through a strainer and save the juice (called tomato water in Italy) for a later project (like Spanish Rice, but that is another recipe). Now, you have just strained off hours of cooking down your tomatoes rather than evaporating the liquid.
Blend the contents using your preferred method (blender, food processor or, my can’t-live-without tool, an immersion blender) and add back to the pan. Add fresh or dried herbs of any combination (I prefer the blend to be oregano heavy for this recipe). Add a splash of olive oil and salt and black pepper to taste. Continue to simmer to desired consistency (about 15 minutes).
Next, finely chop 1⁄2 pound of spinach and any other vegetables you desire. A stir fry of Shiitake mushrooms, garlic and onions would be nice. Then massage the 1⁄2 pound of Ricotta cheese into the vegetables. With these three preparations ready, let the layering begin.
Place a flat, about 1-inch-thick layer of polenta on the bottom of a glass baking dish. Add a layer of the cheese-spinach mixture. Add the lovely sauce and another layer of polenta. Add one last layer of sauce and top with grated Mozzarella or Parmesan. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for 10 more minutes. Enjoy every bite!
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
