Cheesy Ham, Spinach and Polenta Torte

"So easy and so elegant. One night a friend asked if I wanted to go out for dinner and I said, "of course, but instead, why don't I cook." Work got hectic, and next thing I know - I had no time left to cook. I did I quick search through an old Southern Living magazine and found this dish. It had most of things I already had so this was the result. Now I make it in a spring form pan, but you can also just use a casserole or souffle dish. I serve this for dinner parties all the time. A few appetizers, a fresh salad with artichokes, tomatoes, olives and mushrooms, and of course your favorite dessert. Changing up your cheese is also a great way for a new taste. Fontina or Swiss for the Mozzarella, or you can use Romano or Pecorino for a little sharper taste. This also makes a great late breakfast, brunch, lunch, light dinner or even just a side dish."
 
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Ready In:
1hr
Ingredients:
11
Yields:
8 Slices
Serves:
8
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ingredients

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directions

  • Filling -- In a large sauce pan on medium high heat, add the olive oil, onion, garlic and saute a couple of minutes until tender. Add in the spinach, ham, pepper, salt (but go easy, ham is salty) and cook about 3-4 minutes until everything is well combined.
  • Polenta -- In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the remaining cup to the corn meal and mix well. Then slowly add the corn meal mix into the boiling water and simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes stiring all the time until thick and creamy. Remove from the heat.
  • Casserole -- Heat your oven to 400 and make sure you butter, not oil your casserole dish well. Now if you are using a spring form pan, line with aluminum foil and then butter the foil.
  • Spread 1/3 of the polenta in the dish or pan and then cover with 1/2 of the spinach mixture. Top that with 1/2 of the parmesan and 1/3 of the mozzarella. Next layer -- 1/3 more polenta, then the remaining spinach, then the remaining parmesan and 1/3 more of the mozzarella. Finish off with the last 1/3 of the polenta and the rest of the mozzarella.
  • Bake -- 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Make sure you let it rest for 10 minutes.
  • If using a spring form, just remove the sides, but a casserole dish works just as well. This can be a side dish or easily a main dish.

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>
 
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