Polenta Pizza with Balsamic Veggies & Kale Pesto

To me, a polenta pizza base is infinitely tastier than your standard flour-based pizza. It’s also a tonne easier than trying to make your own ‘traditional’ gluten-free dough. While it holds together well, due to the softer texture of polenta, it’s more of a knife and fork kind of ‘posh’ pizza. All of the components can be made in advance so it’s an easy meal to casually throw together when you’re entertaining. Enjoy!

Base Ingredients:
190g of polenta

2 tablespoons of rice flour

1/2 tablespoon of Xanthan gum

1 free-range egg

850ml of vegetable stock

Topping Ingredients:
1 onion, diced

1 tin of cherry tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon of coconut sugar

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs

2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon of dried chili flakes

1 red onion, cut into wedges

1 cup of butternut pumpkin, cut into 2cm cubes

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. For the polenta base. Preheat the oven to 200 C. Bring the stock to a simmer then slowly add the polenta, whisking as you do so. Keep at a very low heat, and cook for around 3 to 5 minutes, until you have a smooth polenta mixture (add more water if it starts to become dry).
2. Turn off the heat and mix in the xanthan gum, flour & egg.
3. If you have pizza tins, spread the mixture into the oiled tins to desired thickness. Otherwise, spread about 1.5 cm thick onto a pizza stone or baking tray.
4. The polenta will probably be sticky and stubborn, so persevere and try to spread it evenly.
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Once done, the polenta will feel springy and spongy.
6. In the meantime, prepare the tomato sauce. Fry the onion until clear, & then mix in garlic, mixed herbs, chili, salt and pepper and fry for about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, coconut sugar and red wine
7. Reduce to a thick paste by simmering on a low heat for about 20 minutes.
8. In the meantime, prepare the roast vegetables. Place pumpkin, eggplant & red onion in a baking tray and toss the olive oil and balsamic vinegar throughout. Bake in a 250 C oven for 30 minutes, turning once in the middle of cooking time.
9. To assemble the pizza: Spread the tomato sauce on top of the polenta base (it does not matter if this has cooled while you have been making the rest). Scatter vegetables and feta on top. Cook at 250 C for 10 – 15 minutes, or until cheese just starts to brown. Serve with dollops of kale pesto (recipe here: https://myfhd.wpengine.com/vegan-kale-walnut-pesto/).

Nutrition Bite: Polenta – a gluten-free grain made from corn or maize, also known as cornmeal. Maize, the American Indian word for corn, means “that which sustains life”. It is right behind wheat and rice as the most important grain in the world. It’s really important to choose organic, non GMO polenta as a large majority of the world’s corn is genetically modified which can pose risks to our health and the health of the environment.