Layered polenta with soured cream & cheese
Irina Georgescu's recipe layers the flavours in a warming and generous dish. When you cook the polenta, don’t stir continuously – keep the heat on low and allow the cornmeal to absorb the liquid at its own pace.
- Serves4
- CourseBrunch
- Prepare20 mins
- Cook15 mins
- Total time35 mins
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
- 200g pack smoked or unsmoked bacon lardons (smoked used here))
- 568ml whole milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 275g Polenta Valsugana
- 400g soured cream
- 100g feta, crumbled
- 40g mature Cheddar, grated
- 2 tsp thyme leaves, leaves only
Method
Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the lardons over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until crisp. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Place 575ml water into a large saucepan with the milk and salt, then bring to the boil. Gradually add the polenta, using a whisk to disperse any clumps (this will give you 1.2L). Turn the heat to low and cook for 8 minutes, until the polenta has a thick, spreadable consistency. If it’s too thick, add a splash of water and incorporate well.
Grease the base and sides of 4 round, ovenproof ceramic or pie dishes (they need to be 16cm diameter). Working quickly, spread 150g polenta onto each base, followed by 50g soured cream and 25g feta. Add another 150g polenta on top. Spread another 50g soured cream over the top of each, then scatter with the lardons and Cheddar.
Bake on the middle shelf for 15 minutes, or until a light golden crust forms. Serve hot, sprinkled with the thyme.
Cook’s tip
This can also be made without the bacon for a meat-free version.
Nutritional
Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe
Energy | 3,176kJ/ 760kcals |
|---|---|
Fat | 44g |
Saturated Fat | 24g |
Carbohydrates | 64g |
Sugars | 10g |
Fibre | 0.2g |
Protein | 26g |
Salt | 3.3g |