Instructions: Makes 24 appetizer servings. OVO-LACTO

CRUST: Bring water to a boil; stir in salt. Stirring constantly, drizzle polenta into boiling water. Reduce heat to low; stir in butter and thyme.

Cook, stirring constantly, until polenta thickens and pulls away from sides of pan and tastes cooked, about 20 minutes. Pour polenta into oiled, 10-inch springform pan. Spread evenly over bottom with spoon. (Dipping spoon frequently in cold water makes spreading easier.) Set aside.

FILLING: In nonstick frying pan, saute onions in butter over low heat, stirring until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer (do not use blender or food processor), beat together cream cheese, ricotta, salt and cayenne. Beat in roasted garlic and onions. Beat in egg one at a time. Pour mixture into prepared pan; bake I hour. Turn oven off; let cheese round sit in oven 15 minutes. Remove from oven; let sit 1 hour. Serve sliced with sauce.

Makes 24
appetizer servings.

NOTE: To roast garlic, remove papery outer skin from bulbs, leaving bulbs intact. Arrange bulbs in small baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt to taste. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees until garlic is soft, about 1 1/4 hours. When cool enough to handle, separate doves then squeeze doves out of skins.

VARIATION: For a Mexican-style cheese round, use oregano instead of thyme in crust, and add seeded, chopped jalapeno clues to sauce along with onion, then add 1 teaspoon cumin. After sauce has cooked, add 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.

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