She made the polenta in a pot, then spread it into a baking tray, She then made a cheesy tomato sauce throwing over before serving it sliced like a pizza.
I remember liking the meal but never attempting to copy it. However two years ago I rediscovered Polenta, and realized how easy it is to prepare how versatile and cheap.
I have kept the basic recipe dairy free , feel free to add cheese & butter but then remember its not parve.
Basic Creamy Polenta. serves 6
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 3/4 cups yellow corn meal
- 3 tablespoons Parve non dairy cheese its about 2 slices or i teaspoon nutritional yeast.
- Black pepper to taste.
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy bottomed large Pot.
Add the 2 teaspoons of salt.
Gradually whisk in the cornmeal.
Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens this takes 12-15 minutes, the cornmeal can burn so you must keep stirring.
Add the non dairy cheese or brewers yeast stir in to melt and remove from the heat, add the black pepper to taste.
You can server this as a side, with a topping, its warm filling and comforting .
Baked Polenta
Make as above, then
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). gas mark 8
Line an oven dish with baking parchment, or just oil the sides.
Pour the polenta into a dish lightly sprinkle extra virgin olive oil over the top of the polenta, bake for 15-20 minutes till it goes brown, while the polenta is baking make your topping.
add one of the toppings from below and return to the oven for five minutes then serve.
Traditional Polenta Topping .
Tomato basil sauce and cheese or non dairy cheese for us dairy intolerant.
This is my basic Tomato Sauce it will last in the fridge for up to a week or you can freeze it, it is great over pasta, with rice, over baked fish, with meat.
1 kilo tomatoes washed and chopped into small chunks
2 onions chopped
4 basil leaves or a half teaspoon dried basil
1 small tub or 2 tablespoons tomato purée, plus 1 tubs water.
1 teaspoon organic brown sugar.
1 cup red wine ( optional)
1/2 teaspoon of cumin,
1/2 teaspoon dried coriander
1 tablespoon organic vegetable oil.
3 cloves garlic crushed
sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon marmite .
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pot that has a tight fitting lid over a medium heat
Add the garlic and onion and saute till transparent ,add the tomatoes, sprinkle over the sugar stir and cook off on a low heat for around 5 minutes.with the lid on
Add the dried herbs & spices,stir.
Add the tomato puree, then fill up the tub the puree was from with water and add that, if you are not using wine add an extra water, otherwise add the wine at this stage.
Stir well, add the marmite,stir make sure it has all melted add the basil leaves ,and replace the lid cook on a low light for 20 minutes.
Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper at this stage,
If the sauce is too thin remove the lid and cook down for a further 10 minutes to thicken it.
This is a basic sauce to make in batches and have in your fridge.
Place tomato sauce on polenta, cover with slices of your favorite cheese, put in the oven for 5 -7 minutes till melted and serve.
Tuna Olive Topping.
Add a can of tuna to the basic sauce, and 1/2 cup chopped olives, heat &
place over the polenta,
Try polenta with a sloppy jo topping, or as a base for fresh sardines and a sprinkling of extra virgin olive oil.
My Basic Mushroom Sauce
1kilo button mushrooms checked washed sliced
2 large onion diced finely
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 desert spoon extra virgin olive oil
1 desert spoon oat meal
Black pepper
Sea salt.
I cup chopped parsley
½ glass white wine or light dry sherry
I teaspoon organic gluten free vegan soup powder. (Optional)
Juice of half a lemon
½ cup water
½ cup rice soya almond or oat milk
Heat the oil add the onions and garlic and cool till transparent, add the mushrooms and cook off for 3-4 minutes, add the wine, soup powder parsley lemon juice salt and pepper, cook off the mushrooms produce a lot of natural liquid, add the seasoning and the oatmeal and stir, add water and cook for 15 minutes on a low light then add soya milk and simmer for 5 minutes, it should be a consistency of a thick gravy.
At this stage you could add some washed and checked Spinach , reheat and top the polenta.
Polenta can be used in cakes, to cover fish and meat, as a pizza and pie base, I will be adding more polenta recipes , Polenta is gluten free, therefore suitable for celiacs and those with wheat intolerance. You can make polenta fries,.
Basic polenta is bland you have use it as a backdrop , mainly to Mediterranean flavours.
Its one of those warm and wonderful feel good foods. I buy my organic polenta from a health food shop... it is very cost effective !
Polenta can be used in cakes, to cover fish and meat, as a pizza and pie base, I will be adding more polenta recipes , Polenta is gluten free, therefore suitable for celiacs and those with wheat intolerance. You can make polenta fries,.
Basic polenta is bland you have use it as a backdrop , mainly to Mediterranean flavours.
Its one of those warm and wonderful feel good foods. I buy my organic polenta from a health food shop... it is very cost effective !
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