Polenta bites with spicy bean cream are small, tasty finger food snacks that are very flavorful and easy to make. They contain no eggs, gluten, or lactose. They can be served as appetizers, at cocktail parties, or in buffets. They can be made a day in advance and stored in a cool but dry place. Polenta bites with bean cream are perfect as a Christmas appetizer. For this preparation, I preferred using borlotti beans, which I love, and the finer polenta, “fioretto” type, to obtain a more pleasant texture, but you can customize it as you like.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 22
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup finely ground polenta flour
- 1 2/3 cups water
- to taste coarse salt
- to taste curry (optional)
- 1 tbsp pecorino romano
- 8.8 oz cooked borlotti beans
- to taste oregano (fresh or dried)
- to taste chili pepper
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste fresh parsley leaves
Steps
To prepare polenta bites with spicy borlotti bean cream, we can use canned beans (after rinsing them thoroughly from the preservation liquid) or cook them ourselves.
As for the chili, you can add spicy or sweet paprika, either fresh or dried, according to your taste.
Let’s prepare the polenta. Put the water in a saucepan and place it on the smallest burner over medium heat. Heat the water with the coarse salt (as much as you like) for two minutes, then immediately pour in the polenta flour and stir quickly for a few moments to prevent lumps from forming.
Stir occasionally until the polenta is cooked, which should be dry and firm to create the bites (this will take about 12 to 15 minutes because it also depends on the cornmeal).
Once it reaches the right consistency, turn off the heat and add the grated cheese and a pinch of curry. Stir to ensure the cheese blends perfectly. Then, pour it immediately into a rectangular pan of 9 by 9.5 inches already lined with parchment paper and spread it with a thickness of just over a finger; let it cool for half an hour.
In the meantime, we can focus on the bean cream. Put the beans (drained from any liquid) in a blender, along with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the chili pepper, about ten fresh parsley leaves, and a quarter teaspoon of oregano (fresh or dried).
Blend for a few seconds, just enough to combine the ingredients and obtain a thick cream (otherwise, it would drip off the polenta bites). Taste and adjust with salt if necessary.
When the polenta is cold enough, place the pan under the broiler for about 10 minutes until a delicious and crispy crust forms on the polenta.
Turn off the broiler and remove the pan from the oven. Using the parchment paper, remove the polenta from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack for about twenty minutes before completely removing the parchment paper without breaking it.
When the polenta block is cold, cut it first into strips slightly wider than a finger and then into small cubes like those in the cover photo.
With the help of two teaspoons, take a small amount, about the size of a walnut, and place it on the bites. Decorate with a sprinkle of paprika and oregano.
The bites can be kept in a cool and dry place until serving (avoid the fridge if possible, as polenta doesn’t tolerate humidity well).
You may have leftover bean cream; you can use it as a topping on bruschetta or for pasta.
Bon appetit
