Baked Polenta with Eggs and Pesto
One of our favorites dishes to make on a cozy winter morning, this hearty brunch dish is perfect paired with popovers and French press coffee—plus, of course, a mimosa or two. Best of all, you can make the pesto up to three days in advance, making it easy to get brunch on the table without waking up early. Just be sure to remove the pesto from the fridge about an hour before serving the dish to let it come to room temperature.
Ingredients:
For the pesto:
- 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) toasted pine nuts, walnuts or almonds
- 2 cups (3 oz./90 g) fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) stemmed and chopped kale
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./240 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
For the polenta and eggs:
- 4 1/2 cups (36 fl. oz./1.1 l) vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz./330 g) polenta
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) (2 oz./60 g) unsalted butter
- 6 to 8 eggs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Directions:
To make the pesto, in a food processor, combine the Parmesan and pine nuts and process until the nuts are finely ground. Add the basil and kale and pulse until finely chopped. With the processor running, slowly pour in 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml) of the olive oil and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and then stir in the remaining 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) olive oil. The pesto will be slightly loose and oily. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The pesto can be made up to 3 days in advance. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate until ready to use, then remove from the refrigerator about 1 hour before using.
Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C). Oil a 9-inch (23-cm) square baking dish. Set aside.
In a deep 10-inch (25-cm) ovenproof sauté pan over high heat, bring the broth to a boil. Whisking constantly, add the polenta in a slow, steady stream. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, until most of the broth is absorbed is absorbed and the polenta is just starting to thicken, about 3 minutes. Add the cream, Parmesan and butter and stir until combined. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. The mixture will be smooth but the polenta will not yet be completely tender (it will finish cooking in the oven). Remove from the heat. Pour the polenta into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the dish from the oven and crack the eggs into the polenta, spacing them evenly. Season each yolk lightly with salt. Cover the dish and continue baking until the eggs are just about set, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest, covered, for about 1 minute.
Uncover and sprinkle evenly with the lemon juice and season with pepper. If serving from the dish, drizzle the pesto evenly over the top and garnish with basil leaves. Alternatively, cut into wedges and transfer the pieces to individual plates. Top each serving with a dollop of the pesto and garnish with a few basil leaves. Serves 6.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen
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