Meatless Monday: Crispy Polenta Bruschetta Bites

December 1, 2014

Meatless Monday: Crispy Polenta Bruschetta Bites | Sarcastic Cooking

I know some of you probably never want to look at a single solitary piece of food ever again, but oh well, I have a blog to run…so back to the kitchen it is!

A while ago I was working for a big corporate company in charge of their retail food management/bookkeeping. I was working for the company my middle brother still works for to this day. I had discovered I wanted to work in food and he so graciously got me the hook up. I will admit, I definitely had ideas of grandeur for this job. I thought I would waltz in and be asked to help cook and come up with ideas for new non-cafeteria style foods.

Ha! Yeah, right.

They started me off training me for a traveling manager position. Basically I would go places when people were sick or on an extended leave and do whatever they did. It was awful. I was basically an intern. I was never allowed to help in the kitchen prepping food. They thought because of my big brain and fancy college degree, I should be keeping track of the money and books. Ugh! Um, I hated math in school.

Anyway, while stuck at a particularly sucky venue, my boss at the time asked me what I had wanted out of my career in the long run. I told her I wanted to cook and I would love to do catering. She literally laughed in my face. “Why in the world would you want to do that? I just can’t see it.”

Oh man, I was soooooooo mad. I am pretty sure that moment is when I decided to quit.

Wait, it was actually after she told me that I was “pretty so I would do ok for myself.” Even thinking about it now I want to murder somebody.

So, fast forward to today. Luckily, I don’t work there any more (#BlogLife) and never have to look at the witch again. I am now cooking for a living, ish. I also make a pretty good cookie and can bake bread aaaannnnddd people ask me to make things for them! So, it is kind of like catering.

I recently attended the bachelorette party for one of my BFFs. She loves good food (and fancy food at that). I was asked to bring some apps. I made these little guys. Slow roasted tomatoes on top of crispy brown buttery polenta. I took into consideration gluten free people and kept fresh cheeses out of it for those preggo guests. Yeah! Totally rocked it.

My kitchen was a little assembly line of baby bruschettas. At the end of it, I stood back and remembered what that old boss said about me and catering. I laughed because she was soooo wrong and I kicked this apps butt!

Polenta Bruschetta

Even Weezer was impressed.

 

Crispy Polenta Bruschetta Bites

Polenta discs cooked in brown butter topped with slow roasted balsamic tomatoes and fresh basil.
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings 25 -30 Pieces

Ingredients

  • For the Polenta:
  • 3 Cups Water
  • 1 Cup Polenta
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • ½ Cup Milk
  • 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
  • ½ Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • For the Topping:
  • 1, 16 Ounce Container of Grape Tomatoes halved length-wise
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • Handful of Fresh Basil chopped

Instructions

  1. Bring the water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly, add in the polenta, while continuously stirring. Stir for 10-15 minutes until the polenta starts to thicken. Add in the salt and milk. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter and cheese. Once the cheese is melted, remove from the heat.
  2. Line a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Spread the polenta in one even layer over the parchment. Place in the refrigerator to chill and harden for at least an hour.
  3. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
  4. Meanwhile, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the tomatoes on the parchment, cut side up. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and a little bit of balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for two to three hours until dried and flat. The tomatoes will become sweeter the lower and slower they roast.
  5. After the polenta has hardened, use a one inch round biscuit cutter ( a martini shaker top works too), to cut out little discs.
  6. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for two minutes. Add as many polenta discs as will fit to the pan. Cook for five to seven minutes on each side, until golden and crispy. Then flip and cook for another five to seven minutes. Once crispy and golden, add to a plate lined with a paper towel to cool.
  7. Once all the tomatoes are roasted and the polenta discs are fried, start assembling. Add two or three tomatoes to each polenta disc. Top with fresh basil right before serving.
  8. If feeding a crowd, you can keep the bites, minus the basil, in the warm oven until ready to serve.

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  • Joanne
    December 3, 2014 at 5:59 am

    I could totally see this being served at a wedding or fancy restaurant, so I think you could totally rock the catering world! Also, I would like to make these and eat a whole batch for dinner.

  • Jane's Adventures in Dinner
    December 2, 2014 at 1:45 pm

    This is the very perfect bite!

  • Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom
    December 2, 2014 at 6:46 am

    People like your old boss are so negative. . glad you got away from that .. and love that you now love what you are doing! Amen to that, sister. And these apps look AMAZING! Polenta discs cooked in brown butter?? oh man, love it!

    • Stefanie
      December 2, 2014 at 1:16 pm

      Thanks Alice!!! Mean people are the worst.

  • Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
    December 2, 2014 at 12:01 am

    I loooove everything in these! I’ve been hoarding GF recipes lately since my boyfriend’s mom has celiacs disease – I can’t wait to give these a try! Also, I love Weezer’s restraint in the background of that photo. He is too cute!

    • Stefanie
      December 2, 2014 at 1:16 pm

      Weezer stayed back because he kept sniffing for cheese then decided, nah, too healthy. hahahah!

  • Julia
    December 1, 2014 at 5:59 pm

    Oh man, good thing you don’t work for that company any more! How de-motivating! Some people lift you up and some stomp on your dreams…I say best hang with the peeps who make you feel good about yourself and quit the situations that make you feel like crap.

    I may have eaten far too much for the four days surrounding Thanksgiving, but I tell ya, I could down every last one of these crispy polenta critters. Seriously, girl, they look perfect!!!! So beautiful! Hope you had a marvelous Thanksgiving with your beautiful family!!

    • Stefanie
      December 2, 2014 at 1:19 pm

      Aww thanks Julia! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving too!

  • Francesca
    December 1, 2014 at 10:57 am

    Beautiful AND delicious. And omg, that pug face.

    • Stefanie
      December 1, 2014 at 1:05 pm

      Thanks! Weeze is a scene stealer.