This easy and delicious polenta breakfast casserole is a real crowd-pleaser.
Course
Breakfast
Cuisine
Italian
Keyword
Basil, Breakfast Casserole, Pasta Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Green Onions, Polenta
Prep Time10minutes
Cook Time25minutes
Total Time35minutes
Servings6
AuthorYvonne Langen
Ingredients
2tbspunsalted butterplus more for greasing the pan
12rounds of pancetta
1cupquick-cooking polenta
½tspfine sea salt
1cup18% cream
½cupMonterey Jackfontina or mozzarella, or a blend, shredded
1/4cupbasil pesto
1/3cupsun-dried tomatoessliced
1packed cup arugula
6large eggs
½cupgrated Parmesan
½tspground black pepper
¼cuppacked basil leaveslarger ones roughly torn (optional)
Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the center. Grease 6 cups of a muffin tray with unsalted butter or cooking spray. Layer two rounds of pancetta into each to form pancetta cups. Bake in center of the oven for 8 minutes.
Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch pan and set aside.
Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta and salt, and cook, stirring constantly until the polenta bubbles and pulls away from the pan, about 3 minutes. Vigorously stir in the cream, butter, basil pesto and cheese until smooth and creamy. (It will seem loose.)
Spread the polenta onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer with arugula and sun-dried tomatoes and nestle the pancetta cups into the polenta. Crack the eggs inside the pancetta cups, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how set you like your eggs. Let stand for 5 minutes; sprinkle with black pepper and basil and serve warm.