MANGIA BENE PASTA

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BAKED POLENTA WITH BOLOGNESE SAUCE

(Serves 6)

Polenta is used here as if it were pasta in lasagne.  It is sliced, layered with sauce, and baked.

Béchamel Sauce (recipe below)

1 recipe Basic Polenta, cooked and spread into a flat 1-/2-inch thick rectangle, cooled

2 cups Bolognese Sauce

2/3 cups grated Parmesan Cheese

Butter

Prepare the Béchamel Sauce and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 450-degrees F.

Slice the cold polenta into squares or rectangles; the exact size is not important

Grease a baking dish with butter.

Arrange polenta slices so that the bottom of the baking dish is completely covered.

Combine the Béchamel and Bolognese sauce.

Spread the sauce over the polenta and sprinkle with some of the Parmesan cheese.

Repeat the layers 2 more times.

Drop small pieces of butter randomly on the top.

Bake on uppermost rack of oven for 10-15 minutes, until a light brown crust forms on top.

Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Béchamel Sauce

2 cups milk

4 TB. butter

3 TB. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Heat the milk in a saucepan to just before boiling.

In the meantime, melt the butter in another saucepan over low heat.

When completely melted, add the flour and stir constantly for about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Gradually add the hot milk to the flour mixture, whisking constantly, until all the milk is incorporated.

Return the saucepan to low heat, add the salt, and cook until the sauce is the consistency of heavy cream.

If it is too thick add a little more milk.  If it is too thin, cook and stir a little longer.

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