Grilled polenta and tuna pizza
42 min
Polenta is a wonderfully versatile ingredient, as is shown by this quick and simple base for pizza. On its own, polenta can be quite bland, but it is an excellent foil for other flavours such as the tuna, olives, herbs and rich tomato sauce that make up the pizza topping. Serve the pizza with a green salad.
Norma MacMillan
3 people made this
Ingredients
Serves: 4
- 340 g (12 oz) instant polenta
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 can chopped tomatoes, about 400 g
- 1 yellow pepper, halved and seeded
- 1 can tuna in spring water, about 200 g, drained and flaked
- 250 g (8½ oz) ricotta cheese
- 12 black olives, stoned and halved
- salt and pepper
- 1–2 tsp fresh thyme leaves to garnish
Method
Prep:30min ›
Cook:12min ›
Ready in:42min
- Cook the polenta in 1.3 litres (2¼ pints) boiling water for about 5 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until thick.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped thyme, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the polenta onto a greased baking sheet or pizza tin and spread out to make a smooth 30 cm (12 in) round with slightly raised edges. Brush the edges with the olive oil. Set aside.
- Preheat the grill to high. Put the tomatoes in a saucepan with their juice and bring to the boil. Simmer over a moderate heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, leaving a fairly thick sauce. Season to taste.
- Meanwhile, grill the yellow pepper, skin side up, until blistered and blackened all over. Put the pepper in a polythene bag and leave until it is cool enough to handle, then peel off the skin. Slice the pepper.
- Spread the tomato sauce over the polenta base and top with the pepper strips, tuna, crumbled ricotta and olive halves. Turn the grill down to moderately hot and grill the pizza for 10–12 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown. Sprinkle with the thyme leaves and serve.
