More culinary experiments in Flatland

Alternate title: Is that a meaty lasagna you have there or are you happy to see me?
I had the notion to make a lasagna with polenta instead of pasta. Here is a cooked polenta with sun dried tomatoes, herbs and cheese. I have spread it on a foil lined cookie sheet for it to cool off and firm up. When it was cool enough to touch, I flattened it with my hands to spread it out and make it evenly thin all around.
Vegetarians avert your eyes. This is Angus ground beef 86/14, quite lean, with thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt & pepper.
The pre-cooked onions and mushrooms, and 2 cloves of garlic.
Onion and mushroom mixture added to beef. Not pictured is the tomato sauce I poured in a few minutes later. Cook till most of the water has evaporated.
Time to make the layers: begin with polenta base
add meat & sauce mixture, dot with ricotta cheese..
cover the ricotta cheese with mozzarella slices. Repeat.
Stratum lasagnum: Polenta, meat, cheese, polenta, meat, cheese. This is not on the weight watchers menu.
Final layer covered with grated Parmesan. Place this in preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the mozzarella is melted.
This is the polenta I used. I didn't notice I bought a flavored variety- it was good, but I wonder how the plain polenta would have been.
Be sure and have some wine while you cook. ;-)
It's okay to peek, especially in the name of photography for blogging!
The final product. Melty, cheesy, meaty, & good.

5 comments:

Mary said...

That looks really good! I may try to do something similar, but with the fast nut burger veggie crumbles from my favorite cookbook instead of the meat.

I need to get more creative!

Anonymous said...

Yum...that looks delicious! And I would like to have a glass of wine before I go to bed.

Mallow said...

Mary- I bet a garden burger, or other prepared vegetarian patty crumbled into a sauce would be great! I'll have to look at Bittman's nut burger veggie crumbles to see what it is you are writing about.

If you ever use plain TVP I bet you could saute it with onion and then add the sauce and that would be great!


Heather- have it while you cook, during dinner, and after dinner.
I was thinking of you when I opened that bottle. :)

poopee shmoopee said...

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Mallow said...

sorta "mmmmmm" I thought it was more like meh. :P I'll do something different next time, maybe less meat for starters!