Description
A comforting and elegant dish featuring creamy polenta cakes topped with earthy roasted mushrooms, vibrant spinach pesto, and crispy Parmesan shards.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 cup coarse polenta (cornmeal)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms (such as cremini, shiitake, or oyster), sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (for crisps)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh thyme leaves for garnish
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a saucepan, bring vegetable broth to a boil, then whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low, cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring often, until thick. Stir in grated Parmesan and butter, season with salt and pepper. Pour into a greased baking dish, smooth top, and let cool for 30 minutes, then cut into rounds or squares.
- Toss sliced mushrooms with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until golden and tender.
- For the spinach pesto, blend spinach, toasted pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until smooth. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- For Parmesan crisps, sprinkle shredded Parmesan into small mounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 5-7 minutes until golden and crisp. Let cool.
- To serve, place a polenta cake on each plate, top with roasted mushrooms, drizzle with spinach pesto, and garnish with a Parmesan crisp and fresh thyme.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste.