Looking for a reminder of the proportions to use for pesto, I found a polenta pizza recipe that I did not follow. This adventure in vegetarian cooking earned high marks for flavor and nutrition.
A few leaves of basil had initiated this adventure, as they were leftover from a previous lunch. The pizza recipe from which I made several emendations had touted caramelized yellow onion. I switched to a red onion already in my pantry and added a lonely Poblano pepper that dominated the taste in that layer.
While the polenta sets the other parts of the pizza may be readily assembled at a leisurely pace. After assembly, the cook gets a few minutes of rest while it bakes.
Serves 2. Total time about 2 hours.
Polenta
| ¾ cup | Polenta |
| 2 ½ cup | Water |
| ½ tsp | Salt |
| 1 Tbsp | Butter |
Grease/spray oil a 9-inch pie plate.
Heat water with salt to a rapid boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta then reduce heat to low and continue to whisk to keep the mixture smooth, about 10 minutes. When the polenta thickens whisk in butter.
Pour the polenta into the pie plate. Refrigerate for about an hour to cool and set.
Pesto
| ¾ cup packed | Basil |
| ¼ cup packed | Parsley |
| 2 Tbsp | Pine Nuts |
| 2 cloves | Garlic |
| ½ tsp | Salt |
| ¼ cup | Olive Oil |
Puree all of the ingredients in a food processor until nearly smooth. Set aside.
Poblano
| 1 (~4 oz) | Poblano Pepper, chopped |
| 1 | Red Onion, thinly sliced and cut into ¼ rings |
| 1 Tbsp | olive oil |
Saute onion in oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add poblano and continue to saute until all are lightly browned, another 10 minutes.
Pizza
| 8 | Cherry Tomatoes, sliced |
| ½ cup | Mozzarella Cheese, shredded |
Preheat oven to 425°F.
When the polenta has chilled, spread the pesto on the polenta, spread the caramelized pepper and onion mixture atop the pesto, distributed the sliced tomatoes, and finally sprinkle the cheese on top.
Bake until cheese is lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to stand for ~10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!