Polenta

Italian Polenta bowls

Ingredients:

1 bag of polenta- I used bobs redmill

6 cups of water

2 cups polenta

3 cups roasted peeled tomatoes- fresh or good quality organic canned or a good jar of store bought tomato sauce works just as well.

2 cloves garlic minced

large bunch of fresh basil- I use a 4oz container from Trader Joes. Set some aside for a topping.

Parmesan cheese for topping

Herbs for polenta- dried oregano, thyme, pepper, basil and salt. All herbs are seasoned to taste. I change it up everytime I make this dish.


I start with the tomato sauce. I blend the tomatoes in a food processor along with a nice large bunch of basil. I season it with my favorite italian herbs.

Heat a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and stir. Then turn the heat down a bit and add about 1/4 cup of red wine and two tablespoons tomato paste. Using a whisk make sure you blend the garlic, wine and tomato paste together well. Turn the heat down and add the blended tomatoes. Stir well. Cover and let simmer for at least 30 min.

Cook the polenta as directed on package. I boil 6 cups of water to 2 cups of polenta. You will stir constantly for 30 min. It is a nice workout for your arms:) When the polenta is nice and thick add your favorite italian herbs and spices. Scoop into bowls and top with the tomato sauce, basil and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!


Helpful quick meal suggestions:

This recipe makes a nice amount of polenta. I usually get about 4-5 meals. If you only need a small amount of what you cooked, polenta refrigerates well and saves for a few weeks. I also will pour the polenta into muffin cups and refrigerate overnight. The polenta is a great quick breakfast with an egg on top and a side of salsa.