I grew up eating a lot of Polenta. Polenta can be compared to grits. It’s an Italian dish made by boiling cornmeal in liquid, which then thickens into a solid porridge. The good news is that polenta is a blank canvas, allowing you to add all types of flavorings and serve it in several different ways.

Today I thought I’d add flavors like diced tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil, then turn them into polenta cakes—Crunchy on the outside, yet soft and creamy on the inside. This recipe yields 18 servings (2 per plate), for a total of 36 triangles. You do not have to fry all of these at once. Cooked and cooled polenta will keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days when stored properly in an airtight container.

I like to serve my Caprese-Style Polenta Cakes with a simple mixed green salad dressed with my easy Lemon Vinaigrette.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes (approx. 2 to 3 minutes per side. Fry 2 at a time)
Total Time: 4 hours (The time will vary depending on the number of planned servings)
Yields: 18 servings (36 triangles in total)
Equipment: 2 (1/4-size) rimmed baking sheet pans, 1 (6-quart) saucepot, 2 medium-size mixing bowls, rubber spatula, whisk, parchment paper, non-stick cooking spray, 1 (12-inch) sauté pan, chef’s knife

Ingredients for the Caprese-Style Polenta: 
2 1/2 cups of quick-cooking polenta
7 cups of water
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, freshly-ground
3 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
1/2 a cup of heavy cream
2 cups of plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 cups of (low-moisture) whole milk Mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
1 cup of finely chopped basil, chiffonade-style
Garnish:
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Ingredients for the Breading:
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup of cornmeal
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground

Total Amount of Fat Needed to Fry Both Sheet Pans (36 triangles) of Polenta:
4 1/2 sticks of butter, unsalted (2 tablespoons for frying each batch of 2)
Approx. 1 1/4 cups of olive oil (1 tablespoon of olive oil for frying each batch of 2)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 200°F.
I like my Polenta a bit looser in consistency than too thick. Let me explain. Typically, it’s 1 cup of Polenta per 2 cups of water. I prefer using 1 cup of Polenta per 3 cups of water.

For this recipe, I’m using 2 1/2 cups of Polenta to 7 cups of water. This will yield 2 (1/4 size) sheet pans of polenta, around 1 1/2 inches in thickness once it’s set.

Spray both sheet pans with non-stick cooking spray. Cut the parchment paper slightly larger than the pans, allowing a little extra to hang over the edges. Line the baking sheet pans with parchment paper to ensure they stay secure. This will allow for the easy removal of the chilled Polenta.

Start by dicing the tomatoes, grating the mozzarella, and chopping the basil leaves. Set aside.

Bring a large saucepot of water to a boil. Once the water comes to a hard boil, add Kosher salt, then slowly whisk in the Polenta. You’ll start to see how fast the water is absorbed, and the Polenta starts to thicken. Sprinkle in the fresh-ground black pepper, and whisk to combine.

At this point, turn the heat off and add 3 tablespoons of butter. Switch to a wooden spoon, and stir until the butter is completely combined and melted into the polenta.

Next, add the heavy cream, stirring continuously until completely combined. At this point, the Polenta thickens even more. Add the diced tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mozzarella, stir to combine. Finally, add the chiffonade basil, stir to combine.

Using a rubber spatula, dump the polenta equally, dividing it between the two sheet pans. Spread the mixture so the polenta is evenly distributed throughout the pan. Transfer the sheet pans to the refrigerator to allow the polenta to chill and set.

After chilling for 2 hours, score the polenta into thirds, both lengthwise and crosswise. Then cut each square diagonally into triangles.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add equal parts flour and cornmeal, kosher salt, and fresh-ground black pepper, and whisk to combine. In another bowl, add 3 eggs. Using a fork, beat the eggs.

Preheat oven to 200°F.
In a non-stick sauté pan, over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Carefully dip the triangle of Polenta into the beaten eggs, then into the cornmeal/flour mixture, then into the hot pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side. You want to get a nice golden crust on the outside of the Polenta cakes. Do this in batches of (3) three. Do not overcrowd the pan.

After about 2 minutes of frying the cakes, take a peek to see if they need another minute before flipping to the other side. Set the finished polenta cakes on a sheet pan and transfer to the oven to stay warm while frying the remaining polenta cakes.

The great thing about this dish is that everything can be done in advance. You don’t have to make all of them at one time. The chilled Polenta will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap. You can enjoy these for breakfast, brunch/lunch, or dinner.

To serve. Arrange two of my Caprese-Style Polenta Cakes onto a serving plate. Sprinkle with finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley. The Kcal count does not include the mixed greens or the vinaigrette. Serve with a mixed greens salad. For my Lemon Vinaigrette recipe, click on the link below.

There you have it, my Caprese-Style Polenta Cakes.

Notes:
1) *E.V.O.O. is the acronym for Extra Virgin olive oil.

2) Cooked and cooled polenta will keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days when stored properly in an airtight container.
Airtight Storage: Pack the polenta tightly into a container or smooth it into a shallow baking dish, then cover it completely with plastic wrap

3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2015/10/17/lemon-balsamic-and-cilantro-lime-vinaigrette/