Rustic Baked Polenta

Servings: 8 Servings
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup plain non-dairy milk soy, almond, rice etc.
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup coarse-ground polenta
  • 2 oz. vegan grated Parmesan cheese or 1 oz. of Nutritional Yeast
  • 3 Tbsp.. unsalted non-dairy butter
  • 9 Tbsp. Olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped fine
  • 1 large eggplant cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 12 oz. cherry tomatoes
  • 8 oz. fresh mushrooms wild or cultivated, sliced thin
  • 3 crushed garlic cloves
  • 3 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
  • 2 Tbsp. Fresh Italian Parsley
  • 28 oz. can of tomato sauce
  • 16 oz. frozen spinach drained.
  • 4 oz. of vegan mozzarella cheese shredded

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  2. In large saucepan bring water and milk to a boil. Lightly salt the mixture and stir.
  3. Slowly pour in polenta while stirring back and forth. Reduce to a simmer. Cover, stirring often, until mixture is thick and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan (or nutritional yeast) and butter. Stir in spinach and mix well. Salt and Pepper to taste.

  4. Pour polenta into 9 x 13 in. baking dish.

  5. In a large frying pan, heat a Tbsp. of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion starts to brown. Transfer to mixing bowl and set aside.
  6. Add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to same pan and cook mushrooms until they have released their liquid and are well browned. Transfer to mixing bowl.
  7. Heat 6 Tbsp. of the oil in the same pan. Add the eggplant and cook until golden.Tranfer to mixing bowl.
  8. Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and cook cherry tomatoes until the tomatoes are lightly charred and about to burst. Transfer to mixing bowl.
  9. Add the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Return to skillet and simmer until thick. Spread mixture evenly over polenta, then sprinkle with vegan cheese and fresh Italian parsley.
  11. Bake until warmed through and cheese is melted.