Showing posts with label pesto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pesto. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Peasant, Schmeasant

Just like Pabst Blue Ribbon and the Jersey Shore, the once only-for-trashy-people polenta is enjoying it's time in the lime light.


OK, let's do this:

Polizzi Polenta
hands on time 25 min, total time 1 hour

1 c ground polenta
3 c water
1/2 c shredded asiago
salt, to taste


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1 small jar of sun-dried tomatoes, drained
2 T olive oil
2 T capers
4 T Stupid Easy Pesto

Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large pot, then slowly pour in the polenta with one hand while stirring with the other hand.

Reduce heat to a low boil and stir the polenta every couple of minutes.   You'll know it's done when it's thick and peels off the side of the pot.  It'll take, like, 20 minutes.  Stir in the cheese and turn off the heat.  Pour the polenta into a baking dish and press flat.  Put it in the fridge for a bit to firm up.






While the polenta is cooking, grind up the sun-dried tomatoes and oil in the your little food processor.  Stir in the capers after you process it.


Heat a little oil in a pan.  Cut a slices of polenta and pan fry until the polenta is a little brown and crispy looking. 



Meanwhile, place a blob of Stupid Easy Pesto on a plate and drag the spoon through it.  Look how fancy you are!!!



Artfully arrange the fried polenta squares on the pesto and top with the sun-dried tomato sauce.  Invite over Snookie and you've got yourself dinner and a show.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Presto, Pesto!

I've still been able to find great basil at the farmers' market, so I'm stocking up on pesto before it's too late. 



If you live somewhere where the weather is already shitty and cold and there's no basil in sight, then I think now might be the perfect time to book that Southern California vacation you've always been dreaming of.  Tell your boss I said it's ok.


OK, let's do this:

Stupid Easy Pesto Sauce
makes 1 1/2ish cups
total time 5 minutes

Big, fat bunch of basil - like, 4 cups or so
1/2 c shredded asiago cheese
3 cloves garlic
1/4 c pine nuts (optional)
salt, to taste
1/2 ish cup olive oil


Combine all ingredients except oil in a food processor and run until everything's combined.  Add olive oil slowly until desired texture is reached.

I don't use the pine nuts because I think they taste like fart, but that's just me.

Pesto freezes beautifully - you could even freeze it in 2 tablespoon increments in an ice cube tray......genius.