Recipe: Zucchini Polenta Pizzette

recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap - 2001-08-09
From: recipelink.com

Zucchini Polenta Pizzette
From: Angela Haglund
Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes
Date: 4-22-99

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
2 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
9-inch square baked polenta (see below)
1/3 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Heat the oil in a heavy, medium skillet over medium high heat. Saute the shallots until soft, 5-6 minutes. Add the zucchini and basil and cook about 8 minutes, until the squash is bright green and the squash's liquid has evaporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Assemble the pizzette by placing the square of polenta on a cutting board. Cut it vertically into sixteen 21/4 inch squares. Then, cut each square in half horizontally, making 32 squares. Arrange the squares in one layer on baking sheets, leaving a half-inch between squares. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons grated mozzarella over each square. Cover with 1 tablespoon of the zucchini. Bake until the polenta and topping are heated through and the cheese is melted, 6-8 minutes. Serve warm.

Each of the 32 squares contains 38 calories and 2 grams of fat.

Oven Baked Polenta

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup polenta (not instant), or stone ground yellow cornmeal
4 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a medium cast-iron or other heavy, oven-proof skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. With a wooden spoon, mix in the polenta, stirring until it is coated with oil and hot to the touch, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat, if necessary, to avoid browning. Turn off the heat. Stand back and carefully whisk in the boiling water: The mixture will spatter. When the polenta is smoothly blended, mix in the salt. Place the polenta in the oven, uncovered. Bake 45 minutes, until it is thick and slightly grainy but tender to the bite. Meanwhile, coat a 9-inch square baking dish with non-stick spray or oil. Pour the hot polenta into the pan, scraping as much as you can from the skillet. Smooth the polenta with a moistened rubber spatula to make an even layer. Set aside to cool. Place the skillet in the sink and fill with cold water to soak. This releases the coating of polenta stuck to the pan.