Polenta Pizzas with Shaved Parmesan

If you haven't played around with tubes of prepared polenta, now's your chance! I love how the fully cooked cornmeal "log" transforms into little discs of goodness - making the perfect base for all kinds of toppings. In my store, the polenta tubes are sold in the "international" section, with the other Italian ingredients. Some stores shelve them with other grains, like cornmeal and rice. 

Regarding the tomatoes, makes sure you use fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes for this dish. When you use just a few ingredients, each one has to be good quality. 

This is an excellent side dish for your end-of-summer dinner parties! 

Polenta Pizzas with Shaved Parmesan

16-ounce tube prepared polenta, cut into 12 rounds

1/2 cup prepared basil pesto

1 cup thinly sliced tomatoes

1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese (use a vegetable peeler to shave cheese)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Transfer the polenta rounds to a baking sheet.  Top each round with the pesto, tomato slices and cheese.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the polenta is toasted and the cheese is melted.

Serves 4