Polenta Pastizada----Venetian Polenta Pie

This is quite delicious. It came from a little booklet given to me by the Alitalia.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 45 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 2  carrots, finely chopped
• 1  stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup bacon, finely chopped
• 1  cup  raw  veal, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 1  lb  ripe tomatoes or 1  lb canned tomato
•  salt and pepper
• 1 1⁄2 ounces dried mushrooms
• 1⁄4 lb chicken giblets
• 3  cups cornmeal
• 5  ounces parmesan cheese, half grated,half very thinly sliced

Directions

1. Make sauce: Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter, and gently saute the onion, carrots, celery and bacon until they change color.
2. Add the veal, let this brown, then pour in the wine.
3. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Peel, seed, and finely chop the tomatoes.
5. Add these to the pan, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook gently for 1 1/2 hours.
6. While the sauce cooks: Soak the mushrooms in warm water and finely chop the giblets.
7. When the mushrooms have been soaking for 30 minutes, drain, pat dry, and chop finely.
8. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil, at least 8 1/2 cups.
9. Pour in the cornmeal, stirring constantly, lower the heat, and cook gently, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes, or until it is a thick, smooth mass.
10. Pour it into a square baking pan, let it cool, and then cut into 1/4 inch thick slices.
11. Set aside.
12. Melt 3 tablespoons butter and saute the mushrooms and giblets gently for 5 minutes.
13. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
14. Rub a fairly large pie dish generously with butter.
15. Cover with a layer of polenta, and spread with a layer of the meat sauce, another of polenta and one of mushrooms and giblets.
16. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and add a layer of sliced Parmesan.
17. Dot with butter.
18. Continue in this manner until all the ingredients are used up, finishing with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan and slivers of butter.
19. Bake at 475 degrees 30 minutes, or until heated through and serve very hot.