Polenta With Tomato-Pepper and Sausage Sauce

Photo: Gloria Parker Kersh

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

cooking spray

1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 medium yellow onion, halved lengthwise, then cut into thin wedges

1 medium red bell pepper, cut lengthwise into thin slices

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon each salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red

1 package Tofurkey Italian sausage, (14 oz) cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into half m

1 tube 1 (16 oz) prepared polenta, sliced into 16 rounds

8 ounces shredded Veggie Shreds mozzarella

Preparation

Preheat broiler to high. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3- quart saucepan set over medium heat, then add tomatoes and oregano and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, and chile flakes, and stir to combine.

Cover pan, lower heat to medium, and cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, stirring with a wooden spoon occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Cover pan and cook until vegetables are tender and sausage is heated through, 5 to 8 minutes more. Add tomato sauce mixture and simmer 10 minutes.

While sauce is cooking, spray a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Add polenta slices to pan in 3 rows and then spray top side of slices with more cooking spray.

Broil polenta about 4 in. from heating element until golden brown and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes.

Pour sauce over broiled polenta, then arrange mozzarella shreds over the top.

Broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.