Baked Polenta with Tomato Sauce Recipe

Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion celery and carrots and cook until onions are translucent and carrots are just tender 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add tomatoes and juices breaking up tomatoes with a spoon. Add parsley and oregano; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered until sauce is reduced to 3 cups about 15 minutes. Mix in fresh basil and season with sea salt and pepper.

While sauce is reducing combine water and 1 teaspoon sea salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low and simmer stirring often until polenta is thick and cooked through about 10 minutes.

Spread 1/3 of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Pour 1/2 of the polenta over the sauce and sprinkle with 1/2 of the Fontina cheese. Layer with 1/2 of the remaining sauce the remaining polenta the remaining cheese and the rest of the sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake in the preheated oven until heated through about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.