| Level: | Easy |
| Yield: | 36 polenta squares |
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil for coating the baking dish
- 2 3/4 cups water
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup polenta
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/4 cups drained, julienned oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Brush an 8-by-8-by 2 1/2-inch glass baking dish with the oil. Bring the water and kosher salt to a boil in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the polenta using a whisk to incorporate. Reduce the heat. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cream, using a whisk to incorporate. Cook until the consistency is soft and thick, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the Parmesan cheese, using a whisk to incorporate. Pour the polenta into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly into the dish using a large spatula or the back of a large spoon. Refrigerate until chilled.
- To make the salsa: Mix the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and pepper together in a small bowl.
- To assemble: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Trim the edges of the polenta and cut into 36 squares. Top each square with 1/2 teaspoon of the salsa. Place on a foil- or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until slightly warm, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 36 servings |
| Calories | 36 |
| Total Fat | 2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 0 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Cholesterol | 4 mg |
| Sodium | 69 mg |
Reviews
I made this recipe for a holiday party this year, and I liked the presentation, but the recipe was just OK as written. I wanted the polenta to be more flavorful, so I used vegetable broth instead of water for it, which bumps the taste up. The tomato confit is a little acidic — the next time I made these, I used Giada’s recipe for tomato jam (Crostini with Sun-dried Tomato Jam), which was much tastier than this recipe, and topped them with a little dollop of Boursin cheese. With these changes, I’d make these again.
It was all right, everyone seemed to enjoy them. Thought it was too much work for the final result