Polenta Pizza

Last week I was watching the Today show before work and Mark Bittman was on whipping up savory breakfasts. Among which was a polenta breakfast pizza, which looked very yummy. I started thinking and got out HTCEV and saw that I earmarked the polenta pizza to make, and Angel said she'd try it.

So, I picked up some cornmeal, beans, salsa and cheese after work and got busy in the kitchen. It's a great method for a really filling, and frugal, dinner. Feel free to experiment with the toppings, add leftover grilled veggies, swap out different cheeses. Since my cornmeal was a little finer than coarse ground, it cooked up a bit quicker. Here's the recipe, adapted from Mark Bittman.

I liked that you can make the crust the morning or even the day before and just leave it in the fridge. The leftovers heated up great, sorry I ate them all. Just a little.

Time: About 45 minutes, plus one hour’s chilling


1/2 cup milk, preferably whole ( didn't use milk, cause we were out- just increased the amount of water)
Salt
1 cup coarse cornmeal
Freshly ground black pepper

Salsa
Can of refried beans
Mexican shredded cheese

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees; brush a layer of olive oil on a pizza pan or cookie sheet. (I just used a pie pan and a spray of Pam) In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine milk with 2 1/2 cups water and a large pinch of salt. Bring just about to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and add cornmeal in a steady stream, whisking all the while to prevent lumps from forming. Turn heat to low and simmer, whisking frequently, until thick, 10 or 15 minutes. If mixture becomes too thick, whisk in a bit more water; you want a consistency approaching thick oatmeal.

2. Stir 1 tablespoon oil (I used butter) into cooked cornmeal (polenta). Spoon it onto prepared pan, working quickly so polenta does not stiffen; spread it evenly to a thickness of about 1/2 inch all over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and put it in refrigerator until it is firm, an hour or more (you can refrigerate polenta overnight if you prefer).
3. Put polenta in oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it begins to brown and crisp on edges. I mixed a can of refried beans and some salsa together (makes it easier to spread)

4. Take polenta out of oven, spread bean mixture on top and sprinkle with cheese. Put pizza back in oven for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese begins to melt . Cut into slices and serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 servings.
Variation: Before you put polenta in oven, top it with thin slices of fresh mozzarella, two or three thinly sliced Roma tomatoes or a bit of tomato sauce, and a handful of fresh basil leaves.