Polenta Pie

So, I was trying to figure out what to make yesterday.  My initial plan was to make meatball soup because I had found a good recipe for it months ago.  However, that recipe has disappeared.  Plus, I didn't want soup.  I did have some ground beef, though, so I went on the googles to see what I could find.  Typing in "ground beef recipes" revealed a whole treasure trove of great American classics: meatloaf, spaghetti, chili, beefy mac and cheese.  As great as these dishes are, they can be a bit boring.  I wanted something a bit different.  One recipe caught my eye: Tomato 'n Beef casserole with polenta crust.  That sounded hilarious, but doable.  And something I hadn't attempted before.  Looking in the cabinet, I only had cornmeal...eh, that would do.  And I had some frozen tomato sauce I made last week...perfect.  My next step was sauteing up the ground beef and we'd be in business!
The whole time I was making this dish, I kept asking myself, "what am I doing?  This is going to be terrible!  You think polenta, some beef, and a bit of tomato sauce is going to be good?  Where is your creativity?  Your skill with flavors?  This dish is so ugly!  It can't possibly be good!"  I was really worried.  My husband is used to meals that don't quite work.  They're edible, but not something I want to repeat.  Thankfully, that's happening less often now, but it still happens.
So, all through the process, even as it came out of the oven, I wasn't so sure.  I was hoping it would just be good enough to fill us up and get my husband through his evening class.  Even as I brought the first, steaming bite to my lips, I was apprehensive.  Then, I tasted it.  "This is goooood!" I exclaimed.  Not overly complicated, not fancy, not even beautiful, but good.  Rich, hearty, warm, filling.  This Polenta Pie wasn't so bad! 
My only criticism was the cornmeal that I had was too fine.  It was basically grits, instead of polenta.  I was hoping for a firmer crust, but the grits were very soft.  What is the difference between grits/cornmeal and polenta?  Not a whole lot, but polenta is usually a courser cut of dried corn.  I think the other main difference is cooking technique.  Polenta is usually cooked longer, and it can be cooled, cut, and fried.  But both cornmeal/grits and polenta can be simmered and served soft and creamy.  My grits, in this case, were very soft, but firmed up when cooled.  In hindsight, I might bake the polenta for a bit before I put the sauce on top to crisp it up.  However, this dish was good regardless.  There was barely any left over for breakfast this morning. :)

Polenta Pie:

Layer in a casserole dish:
3-4 cups cooked polenta or grits (see recipe below)
5-6 cups fresh spinach, washed well
1 pound cooked ground beef
1 quart tomato sauce (see recipe below)
cheese (optional)

1. In an oiled casserole dish, pour in warm polenta while it is still soft.  

2. Top polenta with spinach.  It will wilt down once it is in the oven, but I left it fresh because it is not good to cook spinach for a long time.  This way, it will only cook in the oven and should stay fresh and green.

3. Top spinach with ground beef.

4. Top ground beef with tomato sauce, making sure the sauce covers the whole top of the casserole.  Now is a good time to top the sauce with cheese if you like, though it is very good without it.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 30 minutes.

Polenta or Grits
makes about 4 cups 

1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal (Instant grits will not work well in this application)
4 cups water or milk
salt to taste
Additions: shredded cheese, fresh or dried herbs such as basil

1. Bring the water or milk to a boil (watch the milk...it can boil over quickly!!) in a medium sauce pan.  Salt the water well (about 2 tsp)
2. While the liquid is boiling, pour in cornmeal and stir it with a wooden spoon vigorously to prevent it from lumping.  Turn the heat down to medium high (or lower...it will splatter!), continuing to stir.  Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides as you stir to prevent burning (that's why a wooden spoon works well for this!).

3.  Continue to simmer and stir the polenta/cornmeal until it thickens, about 4-5 minutes.  Taste it for salt...it might need more than you think.  Also, taste for texture, it should be soft without any crunchy bits.  If it is thickening too quickly and is still crunchy, you can add more liquid.  Cornmeal should not take long to cook (about 5 minutes), but polenta can take up to 10-15 to fully cook through.
4. Serve warm and soft as a side dish....or for the casserole, pour directly into oiled casserole dish.

Basic Tomato Sauce
makes 6 cups

olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, medium dice
1/2 cup celery, medium dice
1/2 cup carrot, medium dice
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can tomatoes, pureed
1 cup red wine
1 tsp dried oregano
chicken stock or water if needed
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat 2-3 TB olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat.  Add in onion, carrot, and celery sprinkled with a bit of salt.  Saute until soft (about 8 minutes).  You can cover the veggies while they saute in order to "sweat" them or bring out their moisture.  This will help them not to brown.

2.  Add in garlic, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3.  Add in tomatoes, red wine, and oregano.  Add in a little chicken stock or water if it is too thick.
4.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.  Taste and season with salt if needed.  Simmer the sauce for about 30 minutes, adding liquid if necessary.
5. Use immediately, or put in smaller containers to cool quickly and freeze for later use.

A good tomato sauce will really make this dish!  Enjoy! :)