Creamy Polenta Squares with Chunky Tomato Sauce Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 cups milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 jar (28 ounces) prepared chunky garden vegetable-style pasta sauce 1‑1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded provolone cheese

PREPARATION:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic; cook and stir 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from saucepan with slotted spoon; set aside.
2. Bring milk, salt and red pepper to a boil in large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. While whisking milk mixture vigorously, add cornmeal in very thin but steady stream (do not let lumps form). Reduce heat to low.
3. Cook, uncovered, 40 to 60 minutes until polenta is very thick, stirring frequently. (Polenta is ready when wooden spoon stands upright in center of mixture.)
4. Stir bell pepper mixture and Parmesan cheese into polenta.
5. Spray 13X9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread polenta evenly into baking pan. Cover; let stand at room temperature 6 hours or until completely cooled and firm.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut polenta into 24 squares. Pour spaghetti sauce evenly over polenta.
7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until sauce is bubbly around edges of pan. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with provolone cheese.
8. Bake 2 to 3 minutes just until provolone cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes. Loosen polenta at edges with metal spatula.
9. Carefully lift polenta pieces out of pan with wide spatula.

This recipe appears in: Italian