Sunday, September 22, 2013

Polenta Mac and Cheese Bake

I still haven't come around to embracing any of the gluten free pastas but I adore polenta. Trader Joes stocks the prepared polenta rolls, in the scheme of things I guess prepared polenta is kind of overpriced for what it is but the convenience makes it an excellent thing to just keep a tube of around the kitchen. Also it doesn't need to be refrigerated prior to opening either.

This takes about 15-20 minutes to prep so its a super easy and delicious dish that can be served as a side or just a main meal comfort dinner.



Gluten Free Polenta Mac and Cheese Bake

  • 1 Tube of prepared polenta
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1 cup cheese (I used havarti and sharp cheddar)
  • 1 Tablespoon corn starch
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 slices Udi's Gluten free bread (I use the ends)
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Cube polenta into bite size pieces and place into oven safe casserole dish. 

3. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in sauce pan. 

4. Mix corn starch into cold milk and add to sauce pan. 

5. Add you cheese, it should be grated so that it can melt easily. 

6. Cook over low heat till cheese it melted. At this point the sauce should be thick and cheesy but the corn starch that was in the milk with thicken it and cut the stringy nature of the cheese. 

7. Stir in the salt. 

8. Dump cheese sauce over the polenta pieces and stir so that all the cubes are coated. 


9. In food processor combine parmesan cheese, torn up slices of bread and 1 tablespoon butter. Process till combined.

10. Top cheese sauce covered polenta with bread crumb combination. 

11. Place into oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the bread crumbs on top are golden and crispy. 

12. Allow dish to cool just a bit before serving!

Enjoy! xoxo- Iris