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
• 2.25 cups water

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

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

Step 2

Heat water, milk, and 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Stir in polenta with a wooden spoon until thickened, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/2 chopped basil; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking dish; arrange 1 tablespoon chilled pieces butter over top.

Step 3

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

Step 4

Decoratively arrange tomato slices over top of polenta; sprinkle remaining 1/2 chopped basil over tomatoes, then sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Step 5

Return to oven; bake until tomatoes warm and Parmesan bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.