Polenta Crostini with Mushrooms
Submitted by leone8
Polenta crostini topped with a savory porcini and cremini mushroom sauce. Crisp broiled polenta rounds stand in for bread, making this Italian appetizer naturally gluten-free.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
50 minCOOK
50 minREADY
100 minForget the toasted baguette. Here, slices of firm polenta get brushed with olive oil and broiled until the edges crisp while the centers stay creamy, which makes these little crostini naturally gluten-free.
The topping leans on two kinds of mushrooms: woodsy dried porcini for deep umami and fresh cremini or portobello for body. Soak the porcini until soft, then rinse them well, because dried mushrooms trap grit and sand in their folds.
Strain that soaking liquid through cheesecloth and hold onto it. It’s pure flavor for a risotto or soup later on. Sweet sautéed red onion, garlic, and a handful of chopped Roma tomatoes pull the sauce together into something rich and savory.
Spoon it on hot over each crisp polenta slice right before serving, so the bases stay crunchy.
Kitchen Tips
- Cook the onion slow and patient until translucent. Rushing it leaves a sharp, raw bite under the mushrooms.
- Rinse the rehydrated porcini under cold running water until no grit remains. One sandy bite ruins the whole crostino.
- Make the polenta ahead and chill it firm so it slices cleanly and broils up crisp.
- Top the crostini at the last minute, since standing sauce softens the crunchy base.
Variations
- Stir a spoonful of mascarpone or grated Parmesan into the warm mushroom sauce for richness.
- Add a splash of red wine to the mushrooms and let it cook down before the tomatoes go in.
- Finish with a drizzle of truffle oil or a scatter of fresh thyme.
Ingredients
Directions
Soak dried mushrooms in warm water to cover at least 45 minutes or until softened.
Remove from liquid carefully and rinse well under cold running water to remove any sand still clinging.
Chop mushrooms roughly and drain thoroughly.
Strain soaking liquid at least twice through sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towels, and reserve for use in another dish.
Heat olive oil in heavy skillet and sauté onion until translucent and tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Add garlic and all mushrooms, turn heat to low and cook, stirring intermittently, for up to 20 minutes, until tender.
Add tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
Continue cooking another 5 minutes.
Cut Quick Polenta into slices 2 inches wide and 3 to 4 inches long and brush lightly with olive oil to taste.
Broil until firm and lightly crisp on both sides.
Place spoonful of hot mushroom sauce on top of each crostino and serve.
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