This Polenta & Borlotti Bean Bake recipe is from Tuscany in Italy. It is traditionally made with Fontina cheese, but we’ve used Gouda as it is easier to source and melts well into the polenta. Being an Italian recipe, our Go Spice Vinci blend works well in this dish, but it lends itself to other of our Go Spice blends as well.
Serves 3-4
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 x 400g (235g drained) tins borlotti beans, drained and rinsed with cold water
100g quick-cook polenta
4 tsp Go Spice Blend
80g gouda cheese, cut into small cubes
salt
butter for greasing an ovenproof dish
Add the oil and the onions, celery, leek and carrot to a frying pan and fry for about 10 minutes over a medium heat, stirring regularly. Add the Go Spice Blend and ¼ tsp salt (or to taste) and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the cherry tomatoes and the beans, stir in then remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200oC (gas mark 6).
Make up the polenta according to the instructions on the packet. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the cheese, until it melts, with ¼ tsp salt (or to taste). Add ¾ of the bean mixture and combine.
Grease the bottom of an ovenproof dish with some butter. Pour the polenta mixture into the dish and top with the remaining bean mixture. Cook in the oven for about 15 minutes until golden.
Serve hot.
