Originally posted August 11, 2010 as “Polenta lasagna with roasted veggies and gorgonzola recipe”
When I’m asked to create a recipe, I often have what I call a “vision” of a dish. I know it should work because I’ve done something similar before and I’m generally good at putting flavors together.
For a dish for the CUESA Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market Food Wise booth, the only requirement was to use something from the Tuesday Farmer’s Market.
In the summer, there’s such a nice variety of vegetables from which to choose, it is a hard decision. Initially I was going to do a Polenta topped with Roasted Vegetables but it would be hard to serve in little cups. Then I thought to put the vegetables between the polenta to make it more of a lasagna. I’ve made something like this before, layering it with bleu cheese and sun-dried tomatoes.
However, there’s nothing like a strong cheese like gorgonzola with roasted vegetables so that became my inspiration. With Cow Girl Creamery located inside of the Ferry Building, the choice was easy. If you don’t have access to a creamy gorgonzola or bleu, use any cheese that you like. As we were walking around the market, the basil looked so nice I thought to incorporate that as well. If you don’t have fresh basil you can either skip it or use pesto.
Although I had tasted each of the components (I highly suggest doing this), after serving a tray of it, I realized I hadn’t tried it all together. I was so happily surprised! I expected it to be good but it was really good. When we ran out at 45 minutes later, I knew it was a hit. People liked the fact that it was also vegetarian and gluten-free.
As always, I encourage you to try something new. Someone asked if you could use pre-made polenta (well the answer really is yes but fresh is better). The look on my face must have been priceless. If you’ve never made polenta before I encourage you to try it. Follow the instructions below and you will see how simple it really is. And notice I don’t label this dish with summer veggies. You can make it all year round. Enjoy!
Polenta Lasagna with Roasted Veggies and Creamy Gorgonzola
Roasted Vegetables
- 3 – 4 cups assorted vegetables, chopped in bite size pieces, for example: onion, pepper, zucchini, fennel, broccoli, cauliflower, grape or cherry tomatoes (keep whole), eggplant, sweet potatoes, etc.
- 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Seasonings like dried thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano, and herbs de Provence (1/4 – 1/2 tsp of each or double if fresh)
- 2 – 3 cloves minced fresh garlic
- Pre-heat oven to 375ºF.
- Place veggies in a bowl with oil and seasonings and toss. Taste one of the vegetables, for example zucchini, to make sure it’s seasoned well.
- Place in a roasting pan and bake about 15 to 20 minutes or until softened and golden, stirring once. Taste one of the vegetables to make sure they are done. Vegetables should be tender.
Polenta and Lasagna Assembly
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
- 1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)
- 1/2 cup grated Italian cheese like Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
- 1/2 cup milk or broth (vegetable or chicken)
- 2 – 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Couple of pinches of crushed red pepper
Other Ingredients
- 8 ounces creamy gorgonzola or blue cheese
- 2 -3 thinly sliced tomatoes (patted dry)
- Few pinches of salt
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan or Italian cheese
- Few basil leaves, torn into pieces
- Bring water to a boil in a medium to large pot. Add salt. While water is boiling, slowly add polenta in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Lower heat.
- Add cheese, milk, butter, and seasonings. Simmer until thickened, whisking occasionally. If bubbling, lower the heat; polenta will be very hot and can burn you.
- Continue to cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until thick and pulling away from the sides. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. If the polenta tastes flat, add more salt, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, and/or parmesan cheese.
- Pour half of the polenta into a greased baking pan, no larger than 13″x 9″, and spread with a spatula to make flat. Work quickly while it is warm so the polenta is spreadable. Top with roasted vegetables and the gorgonzola or blue cheese. Spread remaining polenta on top. Top with tomato slices and additional salt.
- Bake in a 375F oven for 25 minutes. Add parmesan cheese. Bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Top with torn basil pieces. Let rest for 5 minutes or more before cutting.
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