Golden Polenta Criollo Pie with Beef Ragout, Roasted Eggplant, and Argentine Cheese

Name: Golden Polenta Criollo Pie with Beef Ragout, Roasted Eggplant, and Argentine Cheese
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Argentina
Ingredients: 14 oz eggplant; 4 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1.1 lb ground beef; 7 oz onion; 5 oz red bell pepper; 2 cloves garlic; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 1/4 cups crushed tomato; 1/3 cup green olives; 1/2 cup beef stock or water; 1 1/3 cups instant polenta; 2 cups milk; 2 cups water; 1.5 tbsp butter; 6.3 oz Argentine semi-hard cheese or gouda-style cheese; 2 tbsp fresh parsley

An original Argentine-inspired main dish featuring baked golden polenta layers wrapped around a juicy beef ragout with tomato, onion, green olives, and roasted eggplant, finished with melted Argentine cheese. Homestyle Pampas flavors in a distinctive presentation.

30 minPrep

55 minCook

85 minTotal

6Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

1 grande 400 g eggplant (cut diced small)
4 60 ml olive oil (divided)
2 10 g salt (or a taste, divided)
1 2 g black pepper (or a taste, divided)
500 500 g ground beef (preferentemente nalga or roast beef chopped)
1 grande 200 g onion (chopped fina)
1 mediano 150 g red bell pepper (chopped small)
2 dientes 8 g garlic (chopped)
1 3 g sweet paprika
1 1 g dried oregano
300 300 g crushed tomato
60 60 g green olives (descarozadas and chopped)
120 120 ml beef stock or water (for the ragú)
220 220 g instant polenta
500 500 ml milk
500 500 ml water (for the polenta)
20 20 g butter
180 180 g Argentine semi-hard cheese or gouda-style cheese (grated or en fetas finas)
2 8 g fresh parsley (chopped)

Nutrition facts

per serving

486 kcal

Calories

28 g

Protein

27 g

Carbs

29 g

Fat

3 g

Fiber

24 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Dairy

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Toss the eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Spread on a tray and roast for 20 minutes, until golden and tender.
2
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened.
3
3. Stir in the garlic, sweet paprika, and dried oregano. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant.
4
4. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until no longer pink and lightly browned. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
5
5. Add the crushed tomato, green olives, and beef stock or water. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until you have a thick ragout.
6
6. Fold the roasted eggplant into the ragout and mix well. Cook 2 minutes more, turn off the heat, and add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley.
7
7. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining black pepper to a gentle boil.
8
8. Rain in the instant polenta while whisking constantly. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick and creamy.
9
9. Grease a baking dish about 22 x 30 cm / 9 x 12 inches. Spread half of the hot polenta on the bottom. Cover with the beef and eggplant ragout, then scatter 120 g / 4.2 oz of the cheese over it.
10
10. Top with the remaining polenta, smooth it with a damp spoon, and finish with the rest of the cheese.
11
11. Bake at 200°C / 400°F for 15 minutes. Then broil or gratin for 3 to 5 minutes more, until the cheese is fully melted and browned in spots.
12
12. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Finish with the remaining fresh parsley on top.

Chef tips

For a firmer texture, let the polenta cool for 2 minutes before assembling the pie. For deeper flavor, brown the beef well before adding the tomato.

Substitutions

You can replace the ground beef with ground pork or a half-and-half blend. Argentine cheese can be swapped for low-moisture mozzarella or mild sardo cheese. If you do not have green olives, use a smaller amount of black olives.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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