SERVES 8 | 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES PLUS SETTING
14 oz quick-cook polenta
1½ oz Parmesan cheese
olive oil
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Cook the polenta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the package instructions, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. It’s ready when it comes easily away from the edge of the pan – you want a thick consistency. Remove from the heat, grate in and stir through half the Parmesan, then tip onto an oiled baking pan, forking up the top to give great texture. Leave to set.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Tear or cut the polenta into chips or chunky wedges, toss with a little oil, then spread out in a single layer on a couple of large non-stick baking sheets. Roast for 50 minutes, or until beautifully golden and crisp, turning them and picking over the rosemary leaves for the last 10 minutes. Finely grate over the remaining Parmesan, then get stuck in.
Although I love the simplicity of the flavors here, you can add pungent things, such as tapenade, pastes, pesto or chopped herbs, to the polenta before setting, if you like.
To make vegetarian: swap Parmesan for vegetarian hard cheese.
