BAKED POLENTA WITH MELTED GORGONZOLA

Serves 4–6 This dish — polenta pasticciata con gorgonzola — makes use of leftover polenta by layering it with gorgonzola and grated parmesan, then baking until irresistibly golden. It has come to be such a favourite of mine that I find myself cooking polenta with the express purpose of making a pasticciata. With a crisp green salad on the side, it is a meal in itself. I use instant polenta for this recipe. While ordinary polenta requires 40 minutes or so of standing over the pot and stirring, instant polenta is, as the name suggests, quick and easy to cook. You could cook the polenta a couple of days ahead and keep it in the fridge, but I rarely manage to leave it alone for that long. 375g packet instant polenta 300g gorgonzola dolce 50g parmesan, grated 60g coarse breadcrumbs 40g salted butter, cut into small pieces

Cook polenta in a large saucepan according to packet instructions. Pour polenta into a greased baking dish until 4–5cm thick. Set aside to cool and set. Preheat oven to 180°C. Using a 6–8cm diameter cutter, cut polenta into rounds. (I usually use a cookie cutter to do this, although the exact size and shape matter little.) Arrange polenta rounds, in a single layer, over base of prepared baking dish. Cut gorgonzola into small pieces. Dot half of gorgonzola here and there over polenta rounds. Top with a second layer of polenta rounds and dot with remaining gorgonzola. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and breadcrumbs. Dot butter here and there over breadcrumb mixture. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until cheeses are golden brown and melted. >