Back in the old days, a pot of sputtering polenta would have been stirred for a full forty-five minutes over a hot stove. This lengthy cooking brings out the full corn flavor of the grain, but it is definitely tedious. Newsflash! You can make it in the oven! Without stirring! This is revolutionary to anyone who loves polenta but can’t stand the labor involved. In fact, the only real work from you is stirring in the cheese partway through cooking. A blend of Italian cheeses—Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano cheese—makes an especially tasty batch of polenta. The nutty, salty, and tangy flavors from the cheeses boost the polenta from ho-hum porridge to noteworthy dinner centerpiece. This hands-free approach also puts polenta back on the menu if you’re entertaining a few friends for dinner. No longer tied to the stove, you have plenty of time to pour drinks, grill up some sausages and summer vegetables, and catch up with your guests.
Butter, for the baking dish
5 cups water
1 1/4 cups polenta
3 tablespoons butter, cut into little cubes
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup 3-cheese Italian blend
For the sausages and vegetables:
Oil, for the grill
8 Italian sausages
3 medium (about 1 pound) zucchini, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 medium (about 1 pound) summer squash, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
4 small tomatoes, halved
Olive oil, for brushing the vegetables
Salt and pepper
Remove from the oven and stir in the half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes longer, or until the polenta is thick and porridge-like. Turn on the broiler and broil for 1 to 3 minutes, or just until the cheese bubbles and browns. For gas grills, heat one burner to high and one to low (225F). Fold a small piece of paper towel to make a 2-inch square, and pour a few tablespoons of oil into a shallow bowl. With tongs, dip the square into the oil, and brush the grates. Brush the zucchini slices, summer squash slices, and tomato halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini and summer squash on each side until the slices are tender and there are grill marks on the sides. Grill the tomatoes, with the cut sides down, until they how grill marks and are warm but not falling apart. Use the cool side of the grill to moderate the heat if necessary.
