Polenta With Hot Tomato-Eggplant Sauce

Name: Polenta With Hot Tomato-Eggplant Sauce
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds eggplant; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cloves garlic; ⅛ teaspoon hot-pepper flakes; 2 cups canned no-salt-added tomatoes; 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar; 6 tablespoons instant or finely ground polenta; ¼ teaspoon salt; Freshly ground black pepper to taste; 2 ounces Fontina cheese; 2 slices coarse Italian bread

By Marian Burros

Published November 16, 1993

Total Time: About 40 minutes
Rating: 5(10)
Comments: Read comments

Featured in: PLAIN AND SIMPLE; In an Eggplant Dish, Flavor Without Frying

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Ingredients

Yield:2 servings

1 ½ pounds eggplant
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
⅛ teaspoon hot-pepper flakes
2 cups canned no-salt-added tomatoes
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons instant or finely ground polenta
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ounces Fontina cheese
2 slices coarse Italian bread

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
If using a broiler, turn on.
Step 2
Wash, trim and slice eggplant lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Brush with four teaspoons of the oil.
Step 3
If using a top-of-the-stove grill, prepare. Broil or grill the eggplant until it begins to brown on both sides. Set aside.
Step 4
Mince garlic, and saute in the remaining two teaspoons of hot oil in a saucepan with hot-pepper flakes for 30 seconds.
Step 5
Crush tomatoes with your fingers and add them in the pan with vinegar. Reduce heat and simmer until the rest of the meal is complete.
Step 6
Bring 1 ¼ cups of water to a boil in a covered pot.
Step 7
Cut the skin from eggplant and cut into ½-inch chunks. Add to tomatoes.
Step 8
Add polenta, one tablespoon at a time, to the boiling water, stirring well, and cook over medium-high heat until polenta thickens.
Step 9
Season the polenta with salt and pepper.
Step 10
Meanwhile, coarsely grate the cheese.
Step 11
Spoon polenta onto two dinner plates; top with tomato-eggplant sauce, and sprinkle with cheese. Serve with bread.