1L water
2 tsp salt
250g instant polenta
100g parmesan cheese
¼ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
To top:
1 reed avocado, chopped into small cubes
¼ cup ricotta
¼ cup cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 tsp lemon zest
Handful of basil leaves
Salt & pepper, to taste
In a large saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Stir in polenta, then reduce heat to medium-low and whisk continuously for 3 minutes so no lumps form. Stir in parmesan cheese and black pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover pan with a lid and leave to cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Line a 20cm x 30cm tray with foil and pour in Polenta, smoothing top as best you can. Brush with olive oil, cover and put into fridge to set for at least an hour. Once set, cut into cubes approx. 2.5cm each.
Preheat oven to 220˚C and line a baking tray. Place polenta cubes on baking tray. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat on all sides. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn pieces over and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until crisp and golden.
Top each polenta cube with some avocado and alternate topping with a slice of cherry tomato or a dollop of ricotta. Top off with some lemon zest, a basil leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste.
