Name: Baked polenta with cheese and garlic
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 57 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Accompaniment
Ingredients: 500.00 ml milk; 0.00 nutmeg freshly grated; 200.00 g maize meal polenta; 60.00 g parmesan cheese grated; 60.00 g cheddar cheese grated; 10.00 ml chilli paste; 45.00 g butter melted; 2.00 garlic cloves, crushed; 10.00 ml fresh chillies 573; 1.00 onion large, chopped; 2.00 garlic cloves, crushed; 500.00 g tomatoes peeled; 15.00 ml sugar; 45.00 ml tomato paste; 30.00 ml fresh basil torn

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Ingredients (15)

500.00 ml	milk
0.00	nutmeg — freshly grated
200.00 g	maize meal — polenta
60.00 g	parmesan cheese — grated
60.00 g	cheddar cheese — grated
10.00 ml	chilli paste
45.00 g	butter — melted
2.00	garlic — cloves, crushed

Tomato sauce

10.00 ml	fresh chillies — 573
1.00	onion — large, chopped
2.00	garlic — cloves, crushed
500.00 g	tomatoes — peeled
15.00 ml	sugar
45.00 ml	tomato paste
30.00 ml	fresh basil — torn

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Method:

Heat the milk with 500 ml water, 5 ml salt, freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg to taste in a large, heavy-based saucepan over moderate heat.

Bring to the boil, then pour in the polenta, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

Lower the heat and cook, stirring, for 30 minutes or until very thick and soft and pulling away from the sides of the pan.

Remove from the heat.

Beat in 30 g Parmesan cheese, 30 g Cheddar cheese and the chilli paste.
Spread 5 mm thick onto a large baking sheet and allow to cool and set.

Cut into 5 cm diameter rounds or squares and arrange in a shallow, buttered, ovenproof dish, overlapping slightly.

Drizzle with a mixture of butter and garlic and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake in a preheated 180 °C oven for about 15 minutes until crisp and golden.

Serve hot with tomato sauce.

To prepare the sauce, heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and cook the onion and garlic over a medium heat until softened.

Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bring the mixture to the boil and cook, pressing the tomatoes to a pulp.
Simmer for about 20 minutes, adding the tomato paste and basil towards the end of the cooking time.