Colour Commentary
I set out last week to find a recipe that included artichokes, that didn’t just involved eating them straight from the jar. I wanted to set my standards higher than that. What I did was stumble across Maria Speck’s Artichoke Rosemary Tart with Polenta Crust. When looking at this recipe, I thought I’d do a few twists to make it my own, and the result was awesome. This could be served as a meal, or look (and taste) great as a side.
Ingredients
Polenta crust
- 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1-1/4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1-1/4 cups cornmeal
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
Artichoke cheese filling
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped (about 2)
- 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 16-ounces artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 cup crispy pancetta, cooked
Recipe
1. To make the cornmeal crust, bring the broth and water to a boil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the salt. Using a large whisk, slowly add the cornmeal, and continue whisking until mixed. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. The polenta will be fairly stiff. Stir in the cheese, egg, and rosemary.
2. Grease a 10-inch spring-form pan with margarine or coat with cooking spray. Have a glass of cold water nearby. once cornmeal mixture is cool enough to handle, dip a wooden spoon (or fingers) into the water as needed to help spread the cornmeal mixture across the center of the pan, pushing it up the sides to form a rim about 3/4 inch thick, pressing firmly.
3. Meanwhile, preheat to 375°F.
4. Prepare the artichoke cheese filling. Place the yogurt, eggs, green onions, and rosemary in a medium bowl and combine well. Distribute the artichoke quarters over the crust. Sprinkle the goat cheese and pancetta on top and gently pour the filling over the artichokes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake the tart until the top turns golden brown and the filling is set, about 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and set aside at room temperature to firm up for at least 20 minutes.
6. When cool enough, release the springform pan, and serve.
