Polenta Sausage Mozzarella Casserole  Ingredients:       5 1/2 Tbsp  olive oil    1 can (28 ounces)  crushed tomatoes       1 Tbsp  chopped fresh oregano    1 medium yellow onion, halved lengthwise then cut into wedges       1 medium bell pepper (red, green, orange or yellow), cut lengthwise into thin slices    2 cloves  garlic, minced       1/2 teaspoon  salt    1/2 teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper       1/2 teaspoon  red chili flakes    1 pound  Italian sausage (removed from casings), sweet or spicy       2 pounds prepared polenta, 1/2-inch slices if using prepared polenta in a tube    OR (can use one recipe of creamy polenta, leave out the cream cheese)       1/2 pound (8 ounces)  fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch slices

Preparation:

1 Preheat oven broiler on high. Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a 2-3 qt saucepan on medium heat. Add tomatoes and oregano, simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes. 2 While the tomatoes are cooking, in a large frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Cover the pan, lower the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, stirring and breaking it into small pieces as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Cover the pan and cook until vegetables are tender and the sausage is cooked through, about 5-8 more minutes. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. 3 While the sauce is cooking, coat the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan with a 1 Tbsp oil. Add the cooked polenta (or slices) to the pan. Coat the top of the polenta with the remaining 1/2 Tbsp oil. Broil the polenta about 4 inches from the heating element until golden brown and crispy, about 10-15 minutes. 4 Pour sauce over broiled polenta, then arrange Mozzarella slices over the top and return the casserole to the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Categories:  Broiler, Cheese, Dinner, Main Dishes, Sausage, Skillet, pork, stove top

Estimated Serving:  6

Estimated preparation time:  25 min.

Language:  English

Shared by:  Jilly    2010/01/24