1919 - The Italian Cook Book

Polenta Pie

DDV CULINARY

Make a very stiff mush of cornmeal cooked in milk.
Salt it well and spread out on the bread board in a sheet about one inch thick.
When cold, cut in little diamonds or squares and place these in a buttered baking dish.

Prepare the Bolognese souce according to the following recipe:
Chop 1/4 lb. round steak,
a slice of pork or bacon,
one small carrot
1/4 onion,
one large piece celery.
Put the meat and vegetables over the fire with a piece of butter.
When the meat has browned add half a tablespoon of flour and wet the mixture
with hot water or broth, allowing it to simmer from half an hour to an hour.
It is done when it is the consistency of a thick gravy.

Make a smooth white sauce with milk corn starch and butter.
Over a layer of the polenta, cut as above and placed in the baking dish sprinkle
some grated cheese and a few tablespoons each of the white sauce and the meat sauce.
Repeat until the dish is full.
Bake until the top is nicely browned.
This dish seems very elaborate, but it is very delicious and a meal in itself.

The Bolognese sauce is also used to season macaroni or
spaghetti in lieu of the tomato sauce or the brown stock.