Polenta Tricolore Casserole

Serving Size

6-8

Ingredients

Polenta
1 cup polenta
4 cups water
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup half and half
1 bulb whole roasted garlic

Spinach Basil Pesto
1/2 of medium white onion
1 bag organic spinach
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Salt & black pepper to taste
In a sauté pan, sauté onion in olive oil, add washed spinach and cook until wilted. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend into a smooth green sauce.

Tomato Puree
4 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 garlic clove
4 basil leaves
Salt & black pepper to taste
In a sauté pan, sauté the onion and garlic. Add tomatoes and cook until soft. Add the basil leaves, season and pour all into the blender. Blend until smooth.

Roasted Red Pepper Coulee
4 red bell peppers
3 tsp. oliver oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Roast Garlic cloves in oven about 40 minutes. In a pot of boiling salted water. Whisk in the Polenta and continue stirring, about 10 to 15 minutes or so. Add a little olive oil, parmesan cheese, and the half and half. Stir until very smooth. In a glass baking dish, put one layer of polenta, one layer of spinach pesto and another layer of polenta. Top off with the final layer of tomato puree. Garnish with pine nuts and roasted garlic cloves. Bake in pre-heated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until steaming hot. Serve in squares on a plate with the Red Roasted Pepper coulees on the bottom or you can pour it over the top of the polenta.

Red Pepper Coulee
Cut and core the bell peppers. Place on baking sheet and drizzle some olive oil on the top. Roast in 350 oven until done. Or char over gas flame and put in paper bag to cool. Peel them and put them into the blender with salt and black pepper . Blend until a smooth sauce. Season to taste.