Name: Spicy sausage and polenta lasagne
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1½ tsp olive oil; 1 onion finely chopped; 1 celery stick finely chopped; 1 carrot finely chopped; 6-8 Italian sausages casings removed; 2 garlic cloves finely sliced; 1 tsp dried chilli flakes; 2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes; handful of flat-leaf parsley chopped; 100g pecorino freshly grated; 150g mozzarella cut into thin slices; crusty bread to serve; 1l vegetable stock or water; 225g coarse polenta

Baking dish of polenta lasagne and plate of polenta portion

1½ tsp olive oil
1 onion
finely chopped
1 celery stick
finely chopped
1 carrot
finely chopped
6-8 Italian sausages
casings removed
2 garlic cloves
finely sliced
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes
handful of flat-leaf parsley
chopped
100g pecorino
freshly grated
150g mozzarella
cut into thin slices
crusty bread
to serve

Basic polenta

1l vegetable stock or water
225g coarse polenta

Method

step 1
To make the polenta, put the stock or water in a large pan and bring to the boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 mins, stirring frequently. Season to taste.
step 2
Heat the oil in a pan over a low heat and slowly cook the onion, celery and carrot until lightly coloured.
step 3
Crumble the sausagemeat into the pan, then break up any large clumps with a spoon. Add the garlic, chilli and tomatoes, and simmer for 40 mins, then add the parsley.
step 4
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly oil a 23cm square ovenproof dish. Cover the base of the dish with a third of the sausage and tomato sauce, then add a thin layer of polenta. Sprinkle over a third of the pecorino and lay a third of the mozzarella slices on top. Repeat these layers twice more, finishing with a layer of polenta and the cheeses. Bake for 40 mins until bubbly and golden. Leave to stand for 5-10 mins before serving with crusty bread.