Here’s a quick and easy recipe to use up that packet of polenta you may have lurking at the back of your cupboard! The addition of sundried tomatoes and olives gives the polenta some much-needed flavour… and you can top it in a variety of ways to make a tasty lunchtime dish; check out our suggestions at the end of the recipe.
200 g quick cook polenta
1 litre boiling water
200 g sundried tomato pesto *
Handful of olives chopped – green or black
Black pepper
2 tablespoons Wild garlic pesto (see recipe)
Soya cream
Handful of Pine nuts
Rocket or pea shoots or herbs to top
* Sundried tomato pesto
200 g sundried tomatoes
Balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic
Olive oil
First of all, whizz up the ingredients for the sundried tomato pesto in a liquidiser, adding a splash of balsamic vinegar to taste and enough oil to make a fairly thick emulsion.
Next, stir the polenta into the boiling water and cook for a few minutes or follow the instructions on the packet. Then add the olives and the sundried tomato pesto and stir well, seasoning with some black pepper (there will probably be no need to add salt as the olives and pesto should be salty enough.) Pour out into an oiled shallow dish , level the top and leave to cool. It should be around 2 cm thick . This stage can be done the night before and stored in the fridge if desired. When cold turn out and cut into triangles, put on an oiled lined baking tray and grill both sides until golden .
Meanwhile mix a couple of tablespoons of wild garlic pesto with a little soya cream to make a creamy green sauce .
When the polenta is ready arrange on plates or a serving dish, top with the green pesto sauce and strew with a few rocket leaves, pea shoots or herbs and a handful of pine nuts to serve.
Other toppings you could try :
Sliced fried mushrooms
Roasted peppers
Fresh tomatoes
Caramelised red onions.
