Prosciutto Stuffed Polenta

I made a similar dish for a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon. It was a HUGE hit! I changed it up just a bit for our preferences.











6 cups chicken stock
6 cups water
3 cups dry polenta*
salt as desired
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese(fresh grated is best!)
1/2 cup Romano Cheese(      "            "        )
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 TB chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
3 oz sliced prosciutto (or salami is good too, even pepperoni would work!)
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped (oil packed with herbs are the best IMO)
1 loosely packed cup baby spinach leaves, torn
3/4 cup chopped black olives, divided
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup shredded smoked provolone
1/2 cup Parmesan(fresh grated)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
fresh grated pepper


You can use cornmeal in place of polenta, there is a difference in texture but overall the dish is un-affected
Polenta:
Cornmeal:


In a large pot bring chicken stock to a boil, slowly add polenta, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer(still stirring) and cook 7-10 minutes until VERY thick.









Remove from heat and stir in first Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, butter , parsley, oregano and garlic powder.

In a large(13x9 works) well greased pan pour 1/2 the polenta and smooth gently. Cover the other half and keep over low heat.









Evenly layer the prosciutto(or whatever you are using) over the polenta(overlap of the slices is fine), then evenly distribute the spinach, tomatoes and the 1/2 the olives.








Combine remaining cheeses and chopped basil. (I went to get my basil out and it had gone bad, so this time around I used dried. Fresh is SO much better, but dried works too)








Sprinkle 1/2 this mixture over the spinach, tomatoes and olives.









Gently stir remaining olives into the remaining polenta, then spread it over the top. Sprinkle with the last amount of cheese.




Refrigerate until firm, min of an hour is best, but it can be made well ahead of time if you like.




Preheat oven to 400 and bake 45-60 minutes until heated through and the top is golden brown(you can put it under the broiler for a moment if you like)










Allow to cool for a few minutes then slice and enjoy!