Pear, Proscuitto, Polenta Bites
Coins of polenta are baked until crispy, then topped with pears and Asiago cheese wrapped in prosciutto and baked until the cheese is melted. These Pear, Proscuitto, Polenta Bites are crispy, sweet, salty, and smoky good!
So, this post was supposed to happen Sunday. It didn’t. The post vanished. Not in the retrievable kind of way, either. I’m not the only one this has happened to (another one here) and this isn’t the first time it’s happened. It’s just the first time it’s happened for a post when I really didn’t have the option to rewrite it all.
Now, unlike some, when I screw up bad, and in my mind it was THAT BAD, I am hermit. I avoid. I ignore hoping things will right themselves magically; I just step back embarrassed at myself and just don’t deal well at all. For some it’s just a blog post.
For me, it was a blog post which means THE WORLD to me. Honestly. While I don’t participate in the Twitter chats as much as I should or the Facebook group as much as I should (in all honesty I don’t like Facebook but feel obligated to use it), I truly am honored to be part of this lovely movement and this group of wonderfully helpful and insightful people.
The Twitter chats are at a strange time for us. No matter how well I try to plan, something goes wrong and I just don’t make it. Or I look at the clock and there’s only 20 minutes left and just follow without tweeting. OR it’s my turn for dog doodie (spelled appropriately) and she’s doing the dance.
Ya know the one? Yeah, that look along with the pawing means, “Mommy I gotta go!” I should plan better. And I should participate more. I should be better. These are all things that go through my head.
But, I told Katie I would get my post up and tag all the delicious recipes that were submitted on Sunday for the Red Carpet event. There were OH SO MANY delicious recipes shared. Be sure to scroll down and “vote” for your faves by Pinning or sharing on G+, Facebook, Yummly, or StumbleUpon.
So, here’s the rewrite of my post.
I wanted to make something simple. I wanted to make something with just a few ingredients that would be great supporting actors to the polenta crisps. I’m calling them crisps because I’ve baked them long enough and at a high enough temperature to make them extra crispy. I wanted something sweet, something savory, something delicious. And that’s just what these are. Delicious!
I love polenta. The hubs, not so much. I like it creamy and crispy. I think I like it crispy better than creamy, but I haven’t had creamy polenta all that much to tell. So, I went with the crispy version this time. It really offsets the soft pears and the creamy cheese. This appetizer really has lots of main characters and supporting actors.
To be honest, I’m not quite sure which one is the main character! Just look at that prosciutto and that crispy polenta coin. They have to battle it out. Maybe one’s good and one’s evil and they’re both main characters? Or maybe it’s a love story and the prosciutto and polenta are vying for the eye of the pear!
One of them will wind up with the pear and one gets the Asiago. Or they’re all friends, but the prosciutto and the polenta wind up together and the pear and Asiago remain BFFs to the other two? There’s so many plot possibilities here.
Either way you look at it, this is a cast of characters that I’m glad I got to know! They’re all perfect together no matter who the star is. They all play important roles in this delicious appetizer. I couldn’t imagine this if any one of them was missing; it just wouldn’t taste the same. So, who are your Oscar faves this year?
Pear, Prosciutto, Polenta Bites
Coins of polenta are baked until crispy, then topped with pears and Asiago cheese wrapped in prosciutto and baked until the cheese is melted. These Pear, Proscuitto, Polenta Bites are crispy, sweet, salty, and smoky good!
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup polenta (yellow cornmeal)
- pinch of salt
- 1 whole pear, cored and thinly sliced
- 4 ounces Asiago cheese, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil and slow add the cornmeal, stirring continuously with a whisk until all the cornmeal has been added.
- Once the cornmeal begins to thicken, reduce the heat to a simmer and switch to a wooden spoon. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes stirring constantly.
- Allow the polenta to cool slightly before spreading it down the center of a large piece of plastic wrap. Roll the plastic wrap, twist the ends to form a tube of polenta, and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, you could spread it into a shallow dish, refrigerate overnight, and use a cookie cutter to cut rounds. You could also purchase precooked polenta in a tube and cut it into think slices.
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Place the rounds on a baking sheet covered with a silpat or aluminum foil coated with cooking spray. Lightly spray each side of the polenta rounds with cooking spray or brush with butter. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes on one side, flip and bake an additional 20 minutes.
- While the rounds are baking, thinly slice the pears, the cheese, and the prosciutto. Place one slice on cheese on top of two pieces of pear and wrap with prosciutto.
- After the rounds have baked on the second side, remove from the oven, top with the prosciutto bundles, and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the prosciutto begins to crisp and the cheese melts.
Supporting Appetizers:
- Beef Sliders with Sautéed Mushrooms, Onions, Bleu Cheese and Bacon by Crazy Foodie Stunts
- Chicken Boursin by Recipes Food and Cooking
- Mini Cheese Balls by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
- Mushroom Pate by Lifestyle Food Artistry
- Oysters Rockfeller by Noshing With The Nolands
- Raspberry Brie Bites by Love and Confections
- Roasted Red Pepper Pinwheels by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Smoked Trout Stuffed Baby New Potatoes by Food Lust People Love
- Spinach Bites by Shockingly Delicious
- Sweet Chili Chicken Skewers by Nosh My Way
Course in a Leading Role:
- Bow Ties and Tails Galore by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Chicken Oscar by Palatable Pastime
- Indulgent Lobster-Champagne Risotto by The Weekend Gourmet
- Oscar Worthy Cantonese Lobster with Coconut-Ginger Rice by Confessions of a Culinary Diva
Supporting Sips:
- Apple Ginger Martini by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Blood Orange Rosemary Spritzer by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Cherry Almond Sparklers by Magnolia Days
- Mixed Berry Martini by The Messy Baker
Delectable Desserts:
- Chocolate Covered Cherries by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Popcorn Puppy Chow by Pies and Plots
- Sweet and Salty Popcorn Ball Bites by The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch
I am such a big fan of Prosciutto and pear! I am definitely going to try this for my next party! A simple but fantastic appetizer idea!
You are not the only one that messes up sometimes! Also, the Twitter chat is at a bad time for me, too. On a Sunday night, I'm getting my daughter ready for bed at that time because she has school the next day. I also have a really hard time keeping up with the conversation during the chat. Anyway, these polenta bites sound really good!