My dad really likes polenta – or he thought he did, and then he tasted it plain before it is cooked! – but we don’t tend to make it very often, and this was a great opportunity to get creative.
This is an easy and fun new side to shake up your weeknight dinners with the added zing of green pesto and balsamic glaze that make these polenta cakes so flavorful.
Roasted polenta with spinach-basil pesto
You’ll need:
for the polenta cakes:
- 18 oz traditional ready-made polenta
- 3 T balsamic glaze
- olive oil
- salt, pepper
- about 4 T freshly grated parmesan cheese
for the pesto:
- 6 oz spinach
- a handful of basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 T toasted walnuts
- about 4 T olive oil
- salt, to taste
1. Make the pesto first, by combining all of the ingredients in a food processor and pureeing until smooth, adding the olive oil in gradually. Taste for salt and adjust to taste. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 425F. Slice the polenta into quarter inch thick slices. Layer them on a baking sheet and drizzle with a good amount of olive oil – you want a thin layer of oil on the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Top sliced polenta with most of the cheese and top off with about 1/4 teaspoon of balsamic glaze each.
4. Bake the polenta for about 25 minutes until it is just browning and has crisped up. Remove from oven, top with remaining parmesan cheese and pesto. Serve immediately.
This is totally delish! I love how you used walnuts in your pesto — never thought of using that in lieu of pine nuts 🙂 Thanks!
Thanks a lot, Danny! I really like the more pronounced nuttiness and the texture of the walnuts here.
Great tip since I always have walnuts — pine nuts, not so much 🙂
I tend to have more walnuts too – always throwing them into a salad or roasted fennel like tonight – plus they are cheaper and easier to buy in bulk and toast than pine nuts!
I love roasted polenta! I love creamy polenta too. I just don’t make it often enough. Probably because when I make it I’m usually the one that eats most of it. 🙂 This looks divine!
For some reason, I don’t make it that often either. Mostly, because I tend to gravitate towards more veggie sides in everyday meals. But this was a nice, quicker way to use polenta!
Savoury polenta is a favourite of mine 🙂
Loving your dish!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks, Uru! So glad you liked it.
Ooh the spinach basil pesto sounds delicious.
Thank you! I’m a big fan.
When I plated the polenta I drizzled some extra pesto sauce on top with a dollop of chèvre for garnish. We served this rich and creamy treat with a light Endive and Avocado Salad . Talk about the perfect Tuesday dinner.