Polenta Stacks

A Mediterranean-style dish of baked polenta, eggplant slices and feta cheese topped with a rosemary-seasoned, roasted vegetable sauce.

Recipe Ingredients:

Vegetable cooking spray
12 slices (1/2-inch) eggplant, unpeeled (about 12 ounces)
8 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 pounds Italian plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 large onion, cut into thin wedges
1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1 (15-ounce) can Great Northern or light red kidney beans, rinsed, drained (1 1/2 cups)
1 (16-ounce) package prepared polenta, cut into 12 slices
4 ounces feta or goat cheese, crumbled

Cooking Directions:

1. Line two large jellyroll pans with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange eggplant and garlic on one pan; combine tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper and arrange on second pan. Spray all vegetables with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with salt and ground black pepper. Sprinkle tomato mixture with sugar and rosemary.
2. Roast vegetables at 450ºF (230ºC) for 30 minutes, removing garlic when browned and soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Top eggplant slices with polenta slices and cheese. Squeeze garlic from cloves; mix garlic and beans into tomato mixture. Return both pans to oven and roast 10 minutes longer.
4. Arrange three polenta-eggplant slices on each serving plate; spoon tomato-bean mixture over.

Makes 4 servings.

Tip: Plain, Italian-herb, sun-dried tomato, or wild mushroom polenta can be used in this recipe.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/4 of recipe): Calories 432; Fat 10g; % Calories from Fat 20; Carbohydrate 69g; Folate 177mcg; Sodium 635mg; Protein 22g; Dietary Fiber 15g; Cholesterol 15mg.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of The Bean Education & Awareness Network.