Baked Polenta Bites and Parmesan Crisps: a Yummy Appetizer!

Today, we want to suggest you a very easy polenta appetizer with Parmesan crips that you can prepare in a very short time and that will impress your guests. You need few ingredients but as usual… of the highest quality! The preparation is very quick but you will have to let the polenta rest in the fridge for a couple of hours. Instead of making healthy baked polenta bites, you can fry the cubes for an ever tastier (but less healthy) result: delicious crispy polenta fries!

Instructions

• Bring salted water to a boil. Once it is boiling, remove the pot from the fire.
• Slowly pour the corn flour stirring always.
• Put it back on the heat again, stirring always.
• Add the pepper, the herbs and the butter and stir well.
• Once it has achieved a thick consistence, take a high aluminum baking tray and cover it with wax paper.
• Pour the polenta on it and put in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• After this time, cut the polenta into 3 strips using a wet knife. Then cut into cubes and arrange them on the baking tray with the paper.
• Cover with a handful of Parmigiano Reggiano and bake for 5 minutes at 180° C.
• Meanwhile,  Heat a heavy 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking.
•  a handful of Parmesan on it, distrand distributes it homogeneously.  Sprinkle 1 ounce (about 1/3 cup) of the Parmesan cheeseevenly over the bottom of the skillet to make a thin lacy pancake.
• Place a stick on it (as if you want to make a lollipop, and cover with another handful of grated cheese.
• Cook the crisp on both sides until the fine grains of cheese have melted together and the edges are just beginning to brown.
• Punch the polenta cubes with the Parmesan crisp lollipops

Serve warm with a good Gorgonzola sauce and a glass of red wine.

Tip: need to make vegan polenta bites too? Prepare a polenta and pesto appetizer! Just follow the basic polenta squares recipe replacing butter with a tablespoon of oil. Serve with some DOP basil pesto and dried tomatoes in oil.