Name: Crusted polenta tart with pesto, courgette & gruyère
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 500ml hot, gluten-free vegetable stock; 140g fine polenta; 50g gruyère finely grated; 1 medium egg lightly beaten; 1 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp fresh pesto (from a jar is fine too); 3 small courgettes thinly sliced into rounds; 4 garlic cloves finely sliced; 0.5 small pack basil leaves only; 25g gruyère finely grated

Crusted polenta tart with pesto, courgette & gruyère

For the polenta crust

500ml hot, gluten-free vegetable stock
140g fine polenta
50g gruyère
finely grated
1 medium egg
lightly beaten

For the topping

1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp fresh pesto
(from a jar is fine too)
3 small courgettes
thinly sliced into rounds
4 garlic cloves
finely sliced
0.5 small pack basil
leaves only
25g gruyère
finely grated

Method

step 1
First, make the polenta crust. Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan and, working quickly, pour the polenta into the pan. Keep your pan over a low heat and, using a wooden spoon, stir constantly, beating any lumps that form. Continue stirring for 5-6 mins until the polenta is very thick.
step 2
Remove the pan from the heat, add the Gruyère and stir until the cheese has melted. Finally, stir through the beaten egg, season generously, and allow to cool slightly.
step 3
Lightly brush a baking sheet with oil. Tip the polenta into the centre and, using a spatula or oiled fingers, gently spread the polenta into a rectangle shape roughly the size of an A4 sheet of paper.
step 4
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Smother a thin layer of pesto over the polenta, leaving a 1-1.5cm border around the edge of the tart. Top the pesto with slices of courgette, intermittently adding the sliced garlic and most of the basil. Season with ground black pepper and a good sprinkling of gruyère.
step 5
Cook on the middle shelf of the oven for 45 mins. Reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for a further 15 mins. Remove and allow to cool for 5-10 mins, scatter over the remaining basil and serve.