Polenta Rosso with Eggs & Roasted Tomatoes
Polenta Rossa with Eggs and Roasted Tomatoes
Serves 4 to 6
- 1 28 ounce can Mutti whole peeled tomatoes
- 1½ tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3-4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 ¼ cups (8 ounces) instant polenta
- 1 cup grated whole-milk mozzarella
- 1 stick (¼ pound) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
- 4-6 large eggs
- 2 basil sprigs, leaves picked and torn
- ½ teaspoon flaky finishing salt, such as Maldon (optional)
Heat oven to 425°F.
Place a colander over a mixing bowl and pour the contents of the canned tomatoes into it, scraping out the inside of the can to remove everything. Carefully pick four tomatoes out, gently break them into halves lengthwise, and place on an oven-safe dish. Gently toss tomatoes with ½ teaspoon of the salt, sugar and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Roast in the oven until lightly browned and slightly caramelized, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, take the remaining tomatoes and all remaining liquid and place it in the blender. Blend on high until pureed. You should have 2 to 2½ cups. Add enough stock to make a total of 5 ½ cups of liquid. Set aside.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, oregano, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of salt and cook until garlic is lightly toasted, 1-2 minutes. Add the pureed tomato mixture and stir to combine, cooking until liquid reaches a boil, 1-2 minutes.
Slowly pour in the polenta, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. It will bubble and splatter, so work carefully. Decrease heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, 2-3 minutes. Add in the mozzarella, butter, and half of the parmesan. Mix well to combine then remove from heat.
Decrease oven temperature to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour in the polenta. Arrange the roasted tomatoes across the surface of the polenta in an even layer. Allow to cool slightly, for about ten minutes.
Using a large spoon, create five shallow divots on the top of the polenta, equally spaced out. Crack one egg into each of the divots. Top the dish with the remaining ½ cup of parmesan. Bake until egg whites have set but the yolk is still runny, 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with a generous amount of olive oil, flaky salt and the remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Top with torn basil leaves. Serve immediately.
Leftovers keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for 1-2 days. Leftovers can be reheated, tightly covered with plastic wrap, in the microwave, or covered with aluminum foil in a low oven.