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1
Prepare: 4 cups soft polenta (see page 92).
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2
Prepare: 2 cups Simple Tomato Sauce (page 264).
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3
Grate: 1 cup Parmesan cheese.
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4
Slice about 1/4-inch thick: 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella (about 2 medium balls).
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5
Oil an earthenware or other low-sided baking dish.
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6
Ladle in 1 1/3 cups soft polenta.
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7
Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce over the polenta.
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8
On top of the tomato sauce, arrange half of the mozzarella slices.
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9
Sprinkle with half the grated Parmesan cheese.
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10
Ladle over another 1 1/3 cups polenta, spread on the rest of the tomato sauce, layer on the rest of the mozzarella, then sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan cheese.
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11
Ladle over the remaining 1 1/3 cups of polenta and allow the torta to sit for at least 30 minutes before baking to allow the polenta to set.
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12
Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350F.
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13
Bake until hot and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
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14
Prepare 1 recipe Wilted Chard with Onion (page 309), and layer half the cooked chard over each layer of grated Parmesan cheese.
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15
Make the torta with firm polenta, cutting pieces to fit the pan and layering as above.
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16
Stir 2 cups cooked vegetables (greens, dried beans, or corn, for example) into the polenta itself and layer as above with sauce and cheese.
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17
Use 1 cup Pesto (page 230) instead of, or in addition to, the tomato sauce.
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18
Use 1 cup grated fontina cheese instead of mozzarella.
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19
Use 2 cups Bolognese Sauce (page 227) or Mushroom Ragu (page 228) instead of tomato sauce.
