Roasted Ratatouille with Smoked Cheese Polenta

Here, the smoked cheese adds depth to the polenta. You can use smoked cheddar or scamorza affumicata. If you want a slightly creamier polenta add some butter with the cheese.

1. 1

   1. Preheat the oven at 200ºC.
   
   2. Cut aubergine and courgettes in 1cm dices. Deseed and cut pepper in 3 cm dices. Cut tomatoes in 3cm dices. Cut red onions in 8 wedges. Cut garlic head in half horizontally. Put all the vegetables and herbs in a roasting dish. Toss with the olive oil.
   
   3. Put in the oven for 55mins. Check every 15mins to toss vegetables around.
   
   4. While it is cooking line 4 ramequins with cling film. Once the polenta is cooked the ramequins will help shape it.
   
   5. Once the vegetables are done. Switch off the oven and leave vegetables in it.
   
   6. Put the water for the polenta in a pan and heat it up. When the water is boiling add the polenta and stir until it’s cooked (around 5 mins).
   
   7. Once the polenta is cooked add the cheese and mix until it is melted and blended in.
   
   8. Put the polenta into the prepared ramequins. Press it in and even the tops with a spoon. Leave for a few minute until polenta is hard to the touch.
   
   9. Take the roasted ratatouille vegetables out of the oven and season to taste.
   
   10. Unmold the polenta on a plate. Remove cling film.
   
   11. Remove bay leaves from the roasted ratatouille. For the roasted garlic head you can either remove the two halves entirely out of the dish or press the roasted garlic cloves out and mix them in the ratatouille.
   
   12. Arrange roasted ratatouille around the polenta.