Polenta and Sausages - you see we all need warm stodge on such rainy days

Got a bag of Polenta in the cupboard? Does it languish there forgotten like a good idea at the time that well frankly you have no idea what to do with.... Well it's perfect for these Autumnal days of August.

First Polenta is almost tasteless, it's the instant food of Italy, and does accept flavour only where it touches it.

When mixing it's 1 measure of Polenta to 4 measures of water. Half a mug of it when mixed with water will fill most of a medium pyrex dish. When cooked it can be grilled, fried and is as versatile as a potato. It's what MacDonalds make their fries with.

Anyway - the how to

Chop up lots of Rosemary into really tiny bits, grate a 5 CM piece of Parmesan, add these with salt to the dry Polenta in a pan, add the water and bring to a simmer stirring all the time, stir for a couple of minutes, it will bubble and spit but think of yourself as cool as the Clanger's Soup Dragon. Then pour into a pyrex dish. When it's set, and cool enough to handle slice a few slices off, layer in another dish with Cheddar Cheese between. Put a more cheese on top and some bacon. Cover and put in the oven at 180 for about twenty mins, then pour some Passata over and return to the oven for another ten mins or so. Put some sausages on top and feed to your disgruntled, who will stare in wonder, poke at it and prod considering if the blob is supposed to poison them, but will gradually become happier, and if you are lucky may actually say thanks.