Polenta Pizza

This makes for a nice change from the ordinary pizza base! Polenta is made with ground yellow or white cornmeal and depending on the region in Northern Italy, it can be ground coarsely or finely. It was originally classed as peasant food eaten in the early Roman times but these days all levels of society enjoy this basic food staple. It’s quite versatile, economical and easy to make. Think of polenta as a side dish or a base replacing mashed potatoes, pasta or rice.

Serves 4
recipe from BBC Good Food Magazine

250g quick cook polenta
50g Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
1 garlic cloves, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
100g mushrooms, sliced
4 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced
100g mozzarella, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon pesto

Cook the polenta according to packet instructions. Season well and stir in the Parmesan. Pour onto an oiled baking sheet, spread out to a 28cm circle and leave the polenta to firm up for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180c fan oven (200c gas).

Heat oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and zucchini and cook for a further 2 minutes. Season and scatter over the polenta base with the mushrooms and tomatoes. Arrange mozzarella on top and dot with pesto. Bake 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Cut into wedges and serve with a salad.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: The polenta base is so quick to make! Use your own favorite toppings for this special pizza.