Cornmealpolenta Crust Pizza Recipes

CORNMEAL/POLENTA CRUST PIZZA

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 425
• 2. spray two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans with nonfat cooking spray
• 3. Line the bottoms of each pan with circles of parchment paper
• 4. To make polenta, put the water, cornmeal, salt, and seasonings into a large microwavable casserole dish or 1-quart measure.
• 5. Cook at full power for 4 minutes
• 6. Stir well and cook again at high power for 2 more minutes
• 7. Stir again and cook at high power for another 2 minutes.
• 8. Remove from the microwave, stir in the olive oil, and beat with a spoon until completely smooth
• 9. Spread the polenta evenly in the bottom of the two pans
• 10. Place the pans in the oven and bake for 12 minutes
• 11. While the crust is cooking, prepare your toppings
• 12. Sauté the vegetables lightly in a non-stick pan until onion begins to soften
• 13. After 12 minutes, take the crusts out of the oven and invert them onto a large baking sheet, side by side.
• 14. They should fall right out of the pan with the parchment paper stuck to them. Peel away the parchment.
• 15. Spread each crust with pizza sauce (don't use too much or they will be soggy) and top with veggies and vegan sausage
• 16. Sprinkle with chopped garlic.
• 17. Return to the oven for about 10 minutes, until toppings look done.
• 18. Lift off the baking sheet carefully using a large spatula and your hand--they are not sturdy like regular pizza, so be careful not to let your toppings slide off.
• 19. Cut into fourths and serve..Enjoy

CORNMEAL PIZZA CRUST

Steps:

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the warm water. Let stand until yeast is dissolved and mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Combine flour, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and add the yeast mixture and oil. Slowly stir ingredients with a wooden spoon just until dough starts to come together. Turn out dough on a lightly floured work surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Divide dough into four 4-ounce balls. Place balls in a shallow oiled bowl, turning to coat with oil; cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone on lowest rack. Stretch dough into 6- or 7-inch rounds. Sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet. Place dough rounds on top, and cover with toppings, as desired.
• Slide rounds onto pizza stone, and bake until crust is crisp and golden and toppings are bubbling, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven; serve immediately.

POLENTA 'PIZZA' WITH PANCETTA AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees; brush a layer of olive oil on a pizza pan or cookie sheet. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine milk with 2 1/2 cups water and a large pinch of salt. Bring just about to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and add cornmeal in a steady stream, whisking all the while to prevent lumps from forming. Turn heat to low and simmer, whisking frequently, until thick, 10 or 15 minutes. If mixture becomes too thick, whisk in a bit more water; you want a consistency approaching thick oatmeal.
• Stir 1 tablespoon oil into cooked cornmeal (polenta). Spoon it onto prepared pan, working quickly so polenta does not stiffen; spread it evenly to a thickness of about 1/2 inch all over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and put it in refrigerator until it is firm, an hour or more (you can refrigerate polenta overnight if you prefer).
• Put polenta in oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it begins to brown and crisp on edges. Meanwhile, put two tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and pancetta is nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to take onion and pancetta out of pan; set aside. Add spinach to skillet and sauté until it releases its water and pan becomes dry; sprinkle with salt and lots of pepper.
• Take polenta out of oven, sprinkle with Gorgonzola, then spread onion-pancetta mixture and spinach evenly on top of cheese; drizzle with another tablespoon olive oil. Put pizza back in oven for two minutes, or until cheese begins to melt and pancetta and vegetables are warmed through. Cut into slices and serve hot or at room temperature.