Baked Polenta with Fresh Tomatoes and Parmesan

Quick cooking polenta is baked with Parmesan, basil and tomatoes for this colorful and flavorful sidedish. This baked polenta is a lovely way to show off tomatoes from the local farmers' market or your garden. It is a great side dish for grilled meat and vegetables.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 428 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup quick-cooking polenta
• 2 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter, chilled and cut into pieces
• 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2.25 cups water

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.

Step 2

Place the water, milk, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the polenta and stir with a wooden spoon until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese and 2 chopped basil leaves; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the polenta to the prepared baking dish and arrange the remaining chilled pieces of butter over the top.

Step 3

Bake the polenta in the preheated oven until bubbly and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Step 4

Decoratively arrange the slices of tomato over the top of the polenta, spread the remaining basil leaves over the tomatoes, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Step 5

Return to the oven and bake until the tomatoes are warm and the Parmesan cheese is bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.