My Polenta Tart with Heirloom Tomatoes is a simple yet astounding approach to grandstand summer’s abundance. This exquisite veggie tart will be the highlight of any late spring feast.
Legacy tomatoes have been in the stores now for a month or thereabouts. However, it’s the point at which they fire appearing at the rancher’s business sectors that you realize they will be astounding. I tracked down my first little bins of these delights this week, and I imagined this Polenta Tart with Heirloom Tomatoes directly on the spot.
This is a pleasant dish to make and serve, it requires scarcely any exertion, yet has a great deal of essence. It would be an incredible light outdoors lunch with a green plate of mixed greens and a glass of wine, or a lovely highlight on a late spring buffet table.
Polenta is a simple dish to make, and I love the delightful way well it helps out you—it cheerfully takes on any shape you pick. It pops directly out of the springform dish and makes an ideal base for these tomatoes.
The tomato besting is fundamentally a type of the Italian ‘cecca’ sauce, which is an uncooked pureed tomatoes made with ready tomatoes, a little garlic, basil, and olive oil. I add a little white wine vinegar for a fly of flavor. It’s incredible over pasta or on toasted bread, as well.
Ingredients
- 2 cups polenta stone ground yellow corn meal
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups milk I used reduced fat
- 1 tsp salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 generous pint multicolored cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium heirloom tomato pick a pretty color!
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 or 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic crushed and minced
- salt and black pepper to taste
- about 10 large basil leaves cut in fine ribbons
- more Parmesan cheese for garnishing
Instructions
- Bring the water, milk and salt to a boil in a heavy bottomed pot. Slowly add in the polenta, stirring to avoid lumps. Lower the heat and let it cook gently for about 15 minutes. You will have to stir it most of the time. I like to use a silicone spatula. Be careful because the polenta with splatter as it bubbles, and it’s hot.
- Take it off the heat and add the butter and the cheese. Mix well. Add some fresh cracked black pepper, and then taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary.
- Pour the polenta into a greased 9″ springform pan. (Note: I did not use quite all of the polenta because I didn’t want my tart to be too thick.) Smooth it out quickly so the top is level. The polenta will begin to set up immediately. Let the polenta cool. You can remove it from the pan and then refrigerate it if you are not going to serve it shortly.
- Meanwhile make the tomato topping. Do this no more than one hour before you want to serve the tart. Slice your cherry tomatoes in half. You can cut the larger ones in wedges, and leave the very tiniest ones whole. Chop the regular sized tomato in small chunks. Put them in a bowl with all the juices and add the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Let the tomatoes sit at room temperature to allow the juices to flow and mingle for up to an hour. Just before you are ready to put the tart together, chop the basil and add it to the tomatoes. (Don’t do this earlier or the basil may turn dark)
- Just before you are ready to serve it, put the polenta tart on a platter or large plate. Spoon the tomatoes and their juices on top of the polenta. Don’t worry if some fall off the side onto the plate, this is supposed to be a rustic dish. Garnish with some more basil leaves and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese.
- Slice with a sharp knife and serve with more cheese.
