Polenta Pasticciata al FornoBaked Layered Polenta with Sausage and Porcini

Soak the porcini

• 1 Soak 30 g dried porcini in 150 ml lukewarm water for 30 minutes.
• 2 Reserve the soaking liquid.
• 3 Gently squeeze the soaked mushrooms and chop coarsely.

Cook and set the polenta

• 1 Heat 1600 ml water and 12 g salt in a saucepan over high heat; lower just before boiling.
• 2 Gradually add 400 g polenta cornmeal while whisking.
• 3 Switch to a wooden spoon and cook over low heat for 40–45 minutes.
• 4 Turn off the heat and stir in 20 g unsalted butter.
• 5 Lightly oil an oven dish, pour in the polenta to a thickness of 1 cm and level it.
• 6 Leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to set.

Make sausage and porcini ragù

• 1 Finely chop 1 onion and 2 garlic cloves.
• 2 Sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
• 3 Pour in 80 ml white wine and boil over medium heat for about 2 minutes to remove the alcoholic smell.
• 4 Season with 3 g salt.
• 5 Heat 30 ml olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
• 6 Add 300 g sausage, casings removed and crumbled, and sauté while breaking it up.
• 7 Add the coarsely chopped porcini, 150 ml soaking liquid and 200 g canned peeled tomatoes, and reduce for 15 minutes.
• 8 MeanwhileMake the ragù simultaneously while the polenta cools for 30 minutes.

Slice and layer the polenta

• 1 Slice the polenta 1 cm thick.
• 2 Thinly slice 250 g Fontina.
• 3 Lay the first layer of polenta in the bottom of the dish.
• 4 Spread half the ragù and arrange 125 g sliced Fontina over it.
• 5 Add the 2nd layer of polenta, then the remaining ragù and 125 g Fontina.
• 6 Scatter 60 g Parmigiano evenly over the top.
• 7 Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Bake

• 1 Bake at 200°C for 25–30 minutes.
• 2 Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes.
• 3 Cut into portions and plate.