Polenta "pizza" (gluten-free)

An excellent alternative to the traditional pizza.

Vegetarian. Hands-on time: 15 mins. Total time: 45 mins.

Contributed by Joan Gallagher (February 2010).

I must admit that this corn-based pizza doesn't have the lovely crispness of the traditional wheat-based variety, but it's a very tasty dish in its own right. It's easy to make, and it's completely suitable for those who must follow a wheat-free or gluten-free diet.

Served with a green salad, the quantities given here will make a satisfying dinner dish for two. If you're in a hurry, use a ready-made gluten-free pizza sauce in place of the tomato purée, garlic and herbs.

Ingredients

• 16½ fl oz (500 ml) water
• pinch of salt
• 1½ cups (7½ oz, 210 g) polenta (yellow maize meal)
• 1 tbsp butter or gluten-free vegetarian margarine
• 1½ cups (12 fl oz, 360 ml) tomato purée (or use a 14-oz, 400 g, can of tomatoes, puréed in a blender or food processor)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ tsp mixed dried herbs
• 4 - 6 large mushrooms, peeled and sliced
• 1 large zucchini (courgette) thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp grated cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

Oven: pre-heat to 375F, 190C

Start by boiling the salted water in a large pan. Slowly stir in the polenta. Add the butter or margarine. Keep stirring until the mixture is stiff and all the water is absorbed, then remove from the heat.

Spread the polenta mixture over the base of an oiled 12-inch (30-cm) pizza dish or other shallow oven dish, pressing down firmly. Bake it in the oven for about ten minutes, until it just starts to turn brown.

Remove the dish from the oven. Mix the garlic and herbs with the tomato purée, and spread this over the polenta base. Arrange the sliced mushroom and zucchini over the base. Add the grated cheese and the seasoning.

Return the pizza to the oven for a further 30 minutes.

Note on quantities and temperatures:
Quantities are given in American (cups), imperial (oz, fl oz) and metric (g, ml) units. Do not mix the units - use one or other system throughout the recipe.
See also How much does a cup weigh?
oz = ounces, fl oz = fluid ounces, g = grams, ml = milliliters, tsp = teaspoons, tbsp = tablespoons.
Oven temperatures are given in degrees F (Fahrenheit) and C (Celsius).
For fan-assisted ovens, reduce the temperature by 20F or 10C.