Name: Polenta Lasagna Loaf
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Water - 4 cups; Kosher salt, or to taste - 1 ½ teaspoons; Uncooked coarse-ground polenta - 1 cup; Butter - 1 tablespoon; Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese - ½ cup; Ricotta cheese - 1 ½ cups; Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese - ⅔ cup; Grated mozzarella cheese - 4 ounces; Kosher salt, or to taste - 1 teaspoon; Ground black pepper - ¼ teaspoon; Cayenne pepper, or to taste - 1 pinch; Egg, beaten - 1 large; Chopped Italian parsley - 2 tablespoons; Olive oil - 1 tablespoon; Hot prepared meat sauce, or more to taste - 3 cups; Chopped Italian parsley, or to taste - 1 tablespoon

Ingredients for - Polenta Lasagna Loaf

1. Water 4 cups

2. Kosher salt, or to taste 1 ½ teaspoons

3. Uncooked coarse-ground polenta 1 cup

4. Butter 1 tablespoon

5. Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ½ cup

6. Ricotta cheese 1 ½ cups

7. Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ⅔ cup

8. Grated mozzarella cheese 4 ounces

9. Kosher salt, or to taste 1 teaspoon

10. Ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon

11. Cayenne pepper, or to taste 1 pinch

12. Egg, beaten 1 large

13. Chopped Italian parsley 2 tablespoons

14. Olive oil 1 tablespoon

15. Hot prepared meat sauce, or more to taste 3 cups

16. Chopped Italian parsley, or to taste 1 tablespoon

How to cook deliciously - Polenta Lasagna Loaf

1 . Stage

Prepare polenta: Bring water and salt to a boil over high heat. Whisk polenta into the boiling water and continue whisking until it starts to thicken, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until polenta is soft and has lost its grainy texture, 25 to 40 minutes.

2 . Stage

Remove polenta from the stove and quickly whisk in butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

3 . Stage

Transfer polenta to a silicone baking liner (or oiled foil or parchment paper). Spread it out evenly almost to the edges into an 8x13-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and smooth out the top with your hands. Place a baking sheet on top and press slightly to further flatten.

4 . Stage

Slide the silicone liner and polenta onto the baking sheet and place in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.

5 . Stage

Remove polenta from the refrigerator and cut, from one long edge to the other, into 8-inch long strips.

6 . Stage

Prepare filling: Stir ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, mozzarella, salt, pepper, cayenne, egg, and parsley in a bowl until well combined.

7 . Stage

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a loaf pan with 1 tablespoon oil.

8 . Stage

Place one strip of polenta into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Spread 1/3 of the filling on top as evenly as you can. Top with about 1 cup hot meat sauce. Repeat polenta-filling-sauce layers twice more. Place the last piece of polenta on top, then gently shake and tap the pan to settle the contents. Place the loaf pan on top of a sheet pan to catch any spills while baking. Loosely wrap the top of the loaf pan with foil, making sure it's not touching the polenta.

9 . Stage

Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 1 hour.

10 . Stage

Remove from the oven, discard foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes.

11 . Stage

Divide onto 6 plates. Garnish with parsley and serve with additional sauce. Polenta Lasagna Loaf. Chef John