Polenta and Pine Nuts

Submitted by Sweetiebarbara

"This is the lightest Polenta I have eaten. In Winter, I bake it in the oven, in Summer, it goes on the grill. When we grill it, we grill it hot for a short period of time so that the outside is crisp, and the inside creamy. Whenever I buy pine nuts, I toast all of them in the oven on a cookie sheet, so that we always have them available for polenta or other yummy foods. This is a favorite of our guests at our Summer parties."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 24 pieces
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 6 cups water
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup pine nuts (toasted)

directions

1. In a heavy 2 quart sauce pan, melt butter over low heat.
2. Add water, turn up heat, and bring to a boil.
3. Slowly add cornmeal while whisking constantly.
4. Lower heat slightly and continue to boil and stir until polenta becomes thick and pulls away from sides of pan. (about 30 minutes).
5. Remove from heat and add parmesan cheese and pine nuts.
6. Cool slightly (until able to handle).
7. Grease cookie pan with half of the oil and spread evenly in pan.
8. Rub top with remaining oil.
9. Chill.
10. If grilling, cut into squares (3 to 4 inches).
11. Grill on hot grill until crisp on outside and soft and creamy on inside -- or.
12. If baking, sprinkle with a little more cheese, and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then cut into squares.

Reviews

[Food Snob in Israel]

I used a bit more butter and this gave it a nice buttery flavor (I also greased with butter and brushed melted butter on top) Did NOT TAKE 30 MIN to cook this. Took much less. I think I over cooked this. I made it in the oven until it "set". Was very good. Would have been good grilled. I wasn't sure it would work or be tasty, but it really was. I'm not falling over myself with how tasty this was, though. It was above average, but not by much.