Breakfast Polenta Casserole

Serves 8

This recipe comes to us courtesy of the Renegade Lunch Lady Chef Ann Cooper and her book Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed our Children. This recipe can be done on the same day if you have time, but if you know you’re going to be pressed for time preparing some of it the night before is helpful.

Ingredients

1/4 cup red onion (1 small), diced small
1 1/4 cups unpeeled Yukon gold potatoes (1 large), diced small
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces raw pork sausage, casings removed
3 cups water
1 cup coarse cornmeal or polenta
5 large eggs
Butter or oil for sautéing
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Method

The night before: Heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium skillet and sauté the onions over medium-low heat until golden brown. While the onions are cooking, steam the potatoes in a small amount of water in a covered pot until they are tender.

Add the steamed potatoes to the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook the potato/onion mixture until the potatoes are browned. Set aside in a covered bowl.

Cook the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, until it is no longer pink. Drain and cool.

Refrigerate the onion-potato mixture and the sausage separately overnight.

The next morning: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To prepare the polenta, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Whisk in the cornmeal and cook the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and smooth (approximately 7 minutes).

Pour the polenta into an ungreased baking dish. It will begin to get firm as you scramble the eggs.

Beat the eggs in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Heat butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pour in the eggs and scramble them until slightly firm but still wet. Remove from the heat. (The eggs will finish cooking in the oven.)

Spread the potato mixture, sausage, Parmesan and cheddar over the polenta. Pour the eggs on top of the entire dish. Bake until heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Cool slightly, then cut and serve.

Nutrition

As provided in Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed our Children Per serving: 334 calories (165 from fat), 18g total fat, 9g saturated fat, 189mg cholesterol, 486mg sodium, 23g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 21g sugar), 17g protein

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