The Year in Appetizers – Polenta Triangles with Fresh Mozzarella and Pesto

As the New Year approaches, my attention turns to appetizers; they are the perfect way to celebrate New Year’s Eve. A wide variety of one or two-bite treats signifies the festivities of the evening and the abundance we all wish for in the New Year. And so I reflect on the appetizers and small plates I have cooked over the last twelve months and served to family and friends. I evaluate which were successful and delicious and those that do not make the cut. Here is a list of my favorite appetizers (along with links to recipes) from the last year, and the recipe for a new creation – Polenta Triangles with Fresh Mozzarella and Pesto.

Polenta triangles with fresh mozzarella and pesto is a perfect New Year’s Eve appetizer for a crowd. The polenta is a tasty (and gluten free and vegan) alternative to crostini or crackers, and it makes for an eye-catching presentation. In this version, I cut it in triangles, but it can easily be shaped any way you desire. The parts can be made ahead of time and assembled before serving. While I cover the polenta with fresh mozzarella and pesto, the possible toppings are endless. Tomato bruschetta or roasted red peppers would be delicious. Fig jam with Manchego cheese or a small pile of thin-sliced prosciutto or bacon would be perfect. A wedge of tart apple and cheddar cheese would be simple and satisfying, as would a sliver of pear and a few crumbles of blue cheese.

No matter how you top your polenta or whatever you serve for your celebration, I wish you a happy and healthy New Year!

My Favorite Appetizers of 2019

Spinach and Feta Tart Soleil

Mushroom and Leek Galette with Gruyere Cheese

Larb in Endive with Pickled Red Onions

Butternut Squash Tart with Fried Sage

Smitty’s Wings

Antipasto

Shrimp Cocktail

Roasted Red Peppers

Mushrooms in Olive Oil

Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

Roasted Beets, Fresh Ricotta, Honey

Babaganoush

Toast Cups

Polenta Triangles with Fresh Mozzarella and Pesto

Polenta is Italian ground cornmeal, which can be served warm as a porridge topped with a sauce or vegetables or shrimp (it is very closely related to grits), or it can be served solidified and sliced, then fried, grilled, or broiled. At the market, it is available in two forms, dried, ground, and uncooked, or pre-cooked and already set, sold in plastic tubes. Pre-cooked polenta can be quickly sliced and fried, but it is less flavorful and harder to make into fancy shapes. I use Bob’s Red Mill Corn Grits (Also Known As Polenta), which is available in many supermarkets. Thus, I use a two-step process, cooking the cornmeal in water on the stovetop and letting it cool and firm up in a pan, and then slicing and frying it. If you are short on time, buy a tube of pre-cooked polenta and make your life easier. Either way, polenta triangles with fresh mozzarella and pesto is sure to help ring in the New Year.

1¼ hours, makes about 3 dozen polenta triangles

3 cups water

½ tsp. salt

1 cup polenta

cooking oil spray

1 cup vegetable oil for frying

about 18, 1-inch fresh mozzarella balls, cut in half

¼ cup pesto

1. Bring 3 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil in a 2 quart saucepan.
2. Gradually stir in the polenta, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until it is very thick, about 30 minutes. It will bubble and spatter, so be careful.
3. Use cooking oil spray to coat the bottom and sides of a baking pan approximately 8 x 8 inches.
4. Spoon the polenta into the pan, using enough so that it is about ¼-inch thick, and using a rubber spatula, press it into the pan and smooth out the top surface. Allow the polenta to cool for at least a half hour.
5. Place a cutting board over the pan and invert them both so the polenta comes out in one piece on the cutting board.
6. Trim off the rounded edges and then slice the polenta into rows then squares then triangles using a ruler if necessary, or another shape if you wish.
7. Heat vegetable oil in a 10-inch skillet on high and fry polenta triangles until lightly browned around the edges, about 5 minutes per side. Remove polenta with tongs to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Polenta can be fried a couple of hours ahead of time and stored in an air-tight container.
8. Before serving, top each polenta triangle with a half a mozzarella ball and a small spoonful of pesto and arrange on a serving platter.

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