Rustic Polenta Crostini
- Very easy
- 1 h 20 min
Polenta has always been associated with appetizing and delicious pairings such as sausage and cheese – bold flavors in other words! You can expect no less from our recipe for polenta medallions: soft discs of polenta wrapped in delicious strips of bacon and topped with a layer of string cheese. Baking them in an oven will make them a tad less calorific than the fried version of polenta chips! These appetizing, hearty, flavor-packed morsels make an ideal appetizer or second course. They are a delicious and sophisticated alternative to the more traditional dish of polenta with cheese and undoubtedly more appealing!
To prepare the polenta medallions, first fill a deep saucepan with 3 cups (750 g) of water and set over low heat. When the water boils, add salt 1 and pour in approximately ¾ tbsp (10 g) of olive oil 2, then add the polenta flour slowly, beating all the time 3.
Cook over low heat for 8 minutes, continuing to stir with a spoon to prevent lumps 4 from forming. After the end of the cooking time, turn off the heat 5 and pour the polenta into an oiled baking dish. Spread the polenta with a spatula 6, but do not cover the entire base of the dish.
You should create a layer approximately 1 inch (2 cm) thick and the resulting square should be 8x8 inches (20x20 cm) 7. Cover with plastic wrap 8 and place in the refrigerator to set for 30 minutes. After this resting time, cut the scamorza cheese into rounds, aiming to obtain 8 slices, each measuring approximately 3 inches (7 cm) in diameter 9.
Take the polenta out of the refrigerator (it will have set in the meantime) and cut out 4 discs 10 using a 3-inch (7 cm) food ring mold. Place the discs on a cutting board 11 and wrap each one in two slices of smoked pancetta so that the edges are well covered 12. Transfer the discs one by one to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Lay two slices of scamorza cheese on top of each of the resulting medallions 13 and broil for 5 minutes or long enough for the scamorza to melt 14. When cooked, take the polenta medallions out of the oven, and serve hot 15!