Vegan Polenta Pizza

Do you really like pizza? I do. I’m not a pizza fanatic, but I definitely do enjoy eat it – especially when it’s gluten free! Over the last few days I’ve wanted to eat pizza, but normal pizza just wasn’t kosher for my Daniel Fast. (Yeast – nope!, Cheese – definitely not!, Meat – you wish!) When I saw a recipe for vegan polenta pizza, I knew I had to make it as I made a polenta pizza a REALLY long time ago and loved it.

I also had incentive to make pizza as Jessica of ATX Gluten-Free is hosting a Gluten Free Pizza Fest! This vegan pizza is adapted from Terry Walter’s Clean Start cookbook. It was also partially inspired by a GF pizza I had from a hole-in-the-wall place this summer that had pine nuts on it and was surprisingly good. They also add some much needed protein without being too out of place!

Vegan Polenta Pizza

2 c. water
1 tsp. italian seasonings
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 scant tsp. kosher salt
fresh pepper
3/4 c. cornmeal (you could be good and use actual polenta, but I’m lazy so cornmeal it is!)

1 leek, chopped
4 crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 portabello mushroom, sliced
1 piece of kale, cut into strips
2 – 3 tbsp. pine nuts
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
Tomato paste
Fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring the water up to a boil. Add in the seasonings and olive oil.
2. Whisking constantly, pour cornmeal into water in a steady stream. Continue whisking for 5 – 7 minutes or until the polenta is creamy and thick. Add water if needed – I ended up adding about 1/3 c. more water.
3. Evenly distribute polenta between two 9″ cake pans. Using a spatula, spread out to about an even thickness.
4. Let polenta cool slightly, then stick both pans in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the polenta to solidify.
5. Heat oven to 350F. Transfer polenta disks onto a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
6. Cook in oven for about 40 minutes and remove. Set aside.
7. While there is about 15-20 minutes left in the baking of the pizza crusts, toast the pine nuts in a frying pan until fragrant.
8. Heat up olive oil in the same frying pan. Saute the leek in the olive oil for a few minutes.
9. Add the mushrooms and sauté until cooked.
10. Add the kale and sauté until bright green.
11. Spread tomato paste onto polenta crusts, leaving 1/2″ uncovered. Add any spices you want to.
12. Sprinkle the tomato paste with pine nuts.
13. Arrange the vegetables on the crust. Make sure you evenly distribute the mushrooms and kale!
14. Cook pizza in oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until the kale starts toasting.
15. Sprinkle with salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper.
16. Enjoy!

What is your favourite type of pizza?

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