Polenta Crostini with Fish, a simple and delicious Christmas appetizer, perfect to serve during the holiday season. To prepare this appetizer, I made the polenta using a pressure cooker. The flour I used for this recipe is the yellow Storo type, a semi-wholegrain flour stone-ground, produced from Marano corn grown respecting nature’s cycles and then milled at the Storo mill. Widely used in Trentino but also known in Lombardy. I prefer it over the traditional one, and you can use whichever you prefer. The result won’t change, but it will surely be a success! I then topped the crostini with shrimp sautéed with bacon and added some robiola cheese simply mixed with pepper. A mix of sea and mountains, which deserves to be tried. Get your taste buds ready, because these polenta crostini with fish will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other Christmas appetizer recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 11 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year
- Energy 109.94 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 7.43 (g) of which sugars 0.29 (g)
- Proteins 6.41 (g)
- Fat 6.27 (g) of which saturated 1.29 (g)of which unsaturated 2.24 (g)
- Fibers 1.27 (g)
- Sodium 453.23 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 61 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 4 oz flour (yellow Storo type)
- 2.5 cups water
- 2 tsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 12 shrimp
- 12 slices bacon (thick cut)
- 3.5 oz robiola cheese
- pepper (to taste)
Tools
- Pressure Cooker
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Pan non-stick
- Piping Bag
Steps
First, prepare the polenta in a pressure cooker. Put the water, coarse salt, and oil in the open pressure cooker. As soon as bubbles form, lower the heat and sprinkle in the flour while stirring with a hand whisk to avoid lumps. Be sure to add the flour before the water fully boils, as soon as bubbles start. This detail and the addition of oil will prevent the polenta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Now increase the heat, close the pot with the lid, and bring it to full power. Cook for 6 minutes from the start of the whistle. After cooking, gradually release the steam and open the pot.
Stir the polenta and pour it into a slightly oiled rectangular mold. Spread it evenly and let it cool. Then place it in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours, or until it solidifies.
After resting, turn the polenta out onto a cutting board and divide it into 12 rectangles. Heat a non-stick pan with a little oil and grill the polenta slices for 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Clean the shrimp by removing the head, legs, shell, and internal black vein. Wrap the bacon around them and roast them on both sides in the same pan where you grilled the polenta. Then work the robiola with some pepper and transfer it to a piping bag.
Top the crostini with the cheese cream, place the shrimp on top, and serve.
Storage and Tips for Polenta Crostini with Fish
You can prepare the polenta in advance and make the crostini just before serving.
FAQ for Polenta Crostini with Fish
What can I substitute for robiola?
Instead of robiola, you can use another type of creamy cheese to your liking.
