Polenta Pie

Name: Polenta Pie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup cornmeal / polenta; 1½ cups stock; 2 tablespoons margarine; 1 small onion (sliced); 1 clove garlic (crushed); ½ pound cooked chicken (cut in small pieces, ground / minced beef or cooked lentils, or a mixture of meat and vegetables); 1 tablespoon flour; 1 unit handful fresh cilantro / coriander leaves (chopped); ½ teaspoon basil; ½ - 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1 unit salt; 1 unit pepper

Polenta is an Italian term for a type of corn meal used in northern Italy, and pizza base was originally made with iit.

Prep15 min

Cook30 min

Total45 min

Servings4

Difficultyintermediate

Ingredients

cornmeal / polenta
1 cup
stock
1½ cups
margarine
2 tablespoons
onion
sliced
1 small
garlic
crushed
1 clove
cooked chicken
cut in small pieces, ground / minced beef or cooked lentils, or a mixture of meat and vegetables
½ pound
flour
1 tablespoon
handful fresh cilantro / coriander leaves
chopped
1 unit
basil
½ teaspoon
lemon juice
½ - 1 teaspoon
salt
1 unit
pepper
1 unit

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon margarine in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and crushed garlic, stirring frequently until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the onion mixture and stir well to combine, cooking for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.

Pour the 1½ cups stock into the pot gradually, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil.

3 minutes

Slowly add the 1 cup cornmeal/polenta to the boiling stock, stirring constantly to prevent clumping. Continue stirring for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy.

5 minutes

Reduce heat to low and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon margarine until fully incorporated. Add the cooked chicken (or chosen protein substitute), stirring to distribute evenly throughout.

Season the mixture with chopped fresh coriander, basil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir well to combine all seasonings.

Transfer the polenta mixture into a greased pie dish, spreading it evenly with a spatula to create a smooth, level surface.

Bake in a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and set. The pie is done when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

28 minutes

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. This allows the polenta to set slightly and makes serving easier.

Cut into portions and serve warm, allowing 1-2 slices per person depending on appetite.

Polenta Pie

Ingredients

Method

What Makes This Variant Distinct

Cuisines