My dear friends, check this satisfying and low-cost vegetarian meal. You are going to love it. Grilled polenta with roasted tomatoes and burrata is a delicious combination of textures and flavours. Add some drizzles of a rich wine sauce and you’ll get a winning dish. Perfect for any time of the day all year around.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with polenta, polenta is a coarse corn flour or cornmeal. The most popular or so-called “commercial polenta” comes in a gold-yellow colour. Besides the yellow version, there’s a white one as well. I still remember having it in school for lunch sometimes. It’s been served with beef and a lovely sauce.
I love the texture and the corny flavour. Additionally, it is budget-friendly and very fulfilling. In fact, it keeps you energised for a long time. It also contains protein, fiber and vitamin A. More, it is gluten-free and low in fat, too. Every time I decide to make polenta, I pick the so-called “instant polenta”. It’s made in less than 10 minutes and it tastes delicious. You simply have to try it.
Also, polenta is such great food, which pairs with everything. And I mean, everything. For instance, any kind of meat, vegetables, fish and mushrooms. You can serve it in warm milk with honey or just with fruits. And, you can bake some wonderful desserts as well. By the way, one polenta dessert is already on my list. It’s coming soon. Wink.
Wine makes the sauce extremely flavourful and delicious. For an alcohol-free version, simply swap the wine with balsamic vinegar. Combined with the roasted tomato juices, garlic and sugar it’s irresistibly good, rich and robust. Ohh, roasted tomatoes have such an intense and concentrated flavour.
Last but not least, burrata. Burrata is the cherry on top of the cake, the queen of cheeses. I love it, love it, love it. Wink. With burrata, you experience a mix of sensations. By cutting it in half, you discover a rich, creamy interior. A mild, fresh, smooth, buttery consistency unlike any other. Yummy!
All burrata lovers, check these fantastic recipes with burrata: burst sweet cherry tomato pasta, the green pesto zucchini noodles and beetroot carpaccio.
I suggest serving half or a whole burrata per person. I wouldn’t be satisfied with less than that. Therefore, adjust the ingredient amount according to the number of people you are serving this delicious vegetarian dish.
Ingredients for 2 – 4 portions of grilled polenta with roasted tomatoes and burrata:
- 200 g polenta (instant)
- 1 large knob butter
- 100 g Parmesan cheese
- salt
- 12-15 cherry tomatoes (I kept them on the vine)
- olive oil
- 4 sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
- 3 garlic cloves (sliced)
- sea salt
- 1-2 tsp of brown sugar
- a splash of red wine
- 1 burrata (or more)
To begin, cook the polenta according to the package instructions. Keep stirring all the time of cooking, to prevent the polenta from burning and sticking at the bottom of the pot. Once the polenta is cooked, stir in the butter, salt and Parmesan cheese.
Then, transfer the polenta to a square baking dish (20 x 25 cm) lined with parchment paper. Spread it evenly around the dish and, with a slightly wet spatula, smooth the top. Cover with transparent foil, let it set and chill.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 250º C and prepare the tomatoes. Wash the tomatoes (keeping the vine), put them in a smaller baking dish and prick each with the tip of the knife. Add the sliced garlic, chopped dried tomatoes, a pinch of salt and a splash of red wine. Last but not least, drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle with brown sugar. Push in the oven for 20 minutes or until burst.
After the polenta is set, remove it from the baking dish (by flipping it or simply lifting it with the baking paper) and cut it into four square pieces. Heat a larger frying pan and brush the polenta slices with olive oil on both sides. Once the pan is hot, lay the polenta pieces in it (I did two at a time) for a couple of minutes or until the crust forms. Then, flip it around for another 3-4 minutes.
Gently cut the burrata in half, keeping the creamy interior, also called “stracciatella”, still inside the soft mozzarella shell.
Finally, arrange one or two polenta pieces on a plate, top with garlic, burst tomatoes and the creamy burrata. As the final touch, drizzle some of the tomato-wine sauce over the grilled polenta with roasted tomato and burrata.
Enjoy.
