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X Italian Rice and Polenta Dishes
Polenta Pie/ Polenta Pasticciata (layered with Bolognese and white sauce)
Originated from: Italy
Occasion: Any time
Contributed by: Taken from "The Italian Cook Book" by Maria Gentile (The Italian Book Co., 1919)

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Ingredients

For polenta
Cornmeal
Milk
Salt

For Bolognese sauce
1/4 lb. round steak
Slice of pork or bacon
One small carrot
1/4 onion
One large piece celery
Butter
Half a tablespoon of flour
Hot water or broth

For white sauce
Milk corn starch
Butter

For garnishing
Grated cheese



Directions

"Make a very stiff mush of cornmeal cooked in milk. Salt it well and spread out on the bread board in a sheet about one inch thick. When cold, cut in little diamonds or squares and place these in a buttered baking dish. Prepare the Bolognese sauce according to the following recipe: chop 1/4 lb. round steak, slice of pork or bacon, one small carrot 1/4 onion, one large piece celery. Put the meat and vegetables over the fire with a piece of butter. When the meat has browned add half a tablespoon of flour and wet the mixture with hot water or broth, allowing it to simmer from half an hour to an hour. It is done when it is the consistency of a thick gravy. Make a smooth white sauce with milk corn starch and butter. Over a layer of the polenta, cut as above and placed in the baking dish sprinkle some grated cheese and a few tablespoons each of the white sauce and the meat sauce. Repeat until the dish is full. Bake until the top is nicely browned. This dish seems very elaborate, but it is very delicious and a meal in itself. The Bolognese sauce is also used to season macaroni or spaghetti in lieu of the tomato sauce or the brown stock."


Notes

This recipe was taken from "The Italian Cook Book: the Art of Eating Well, Practical Recipes of the Italian Cuisine" by Mrs. Maria Gentile. It was published in the U.S. in 1919. For the entire copyright-free cookbook see www.archive.org. A variety of recipes from this cookbook can also be found on this website.... Photo: Mary Melfi.

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