Cheesy polenta layered with thinly sliced zucchini and marinara sauce makes a delicious side dish to steak, pork chops, or chicken!
Ingredients
- cherry tomatoes: 1 can (14 ounce can)
- basil: 0.25 cup (fresh)
- garlic: 2 clove
- red wine: 1 Tbsp
- salt: 0.125 tsp
- water: 3 cups
- salt: 0.5 tsp
- polenta: 0.75 cup
- Pecorino Romano cheese: 1 cup (grated)
- butter: 2 Tbsp
- medium zucchini: 1 piece (sliced)
- ½ cups finely shredded Italian-style cheese: 1 piece
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.
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Combine cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic, red wine, and 1/8 teaspoon salt for marinara in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to puree. Set aside.
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Bring water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in polenta slowly, whisking constantly to ensure there are no lumps. Bring back to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Pecorino Romano cheese and butter.
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Pour 1/2 of the polenta into the prepared casserole dish. Top with 1/2 of the sliced zucchini, overlapping slices slightly. Top zucchini with 1/2 of the marinara sauce, then sprinkle with 1/2 of the Italian-style cheese. Repeat layers one more time.
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Bake, covered, in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until cheese on top is slightly brown, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
