My go-to make-ahead savoury nibbles for dinner parties. They’re naturally gluten-free, and you can veganize them with my suggested substitute to suit a special dietary crowd. Polenta can be tricky to cook because it splats out like a volcano. Try an Instant Pot if you have one, so you don’t have to watch it during cooking. It saves time and minimizes mess in the kitchen.
Makes 36
Ingredients
300g quick-cook polenta
800ml GF vegetable stock
¼ cup or (about 6 tbsp) grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast for vegans
Extra virgin olive oil for brushing
To serve:
Fresh pesto or whipped feta cheese with sun-dried tomato
Recipe Preparation
Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a medium pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, add polenta, thenstir frequently until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and add parmesan or nutritional yeast. Stir to combine.
Lightly spray a small, shallow baking sheet with cooking spray, then spread cooked polenta evenly using the back of a measuring cup to flatten the surface evenly. Refrigerate polenta for an hour to set.
Preheat oven with fan assist at 220C.
Prepare a small bowl and fill it with extra virgin olive oil. Remove polenta from fridge and flip it over onto a clean cutting board. Cut into 3x8cm sticks. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Place polenta sticks onto the tray with space in between them, then, brush olive oil on each stick with a pastry brush. Place tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes, checking halfway through to make sure they are not burnt. Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
