Polenta with tuna, poached egg and pesto sauce

6 servings

30 minutes

Polenta with tuna, poached egg, and pesto sauce is a dish where traditional Italian cuisine meets exquisite culinary imagination. Polenta, long considered food for Italian peasants, takes on a new form here: golden circles with a crispy crust serve as a wonderful base for tender smoked tuna. The velvety poached egg adds softness to the dish, while the aromatic basil pesto sauce fills it with freshness and Mediterranean charm. Perfect for an elegant breakfast or light dinner, this appetizer will delight lovers of gastronomic discoveries. The combination of flavors – softness, smokiness, freshness, and nutty notes – makes this recipe a true harmony of culinary art.

Energy value per serving

• Calories: 385.7
• Proteins: 21.7g
• Fats: 27g
• Carbohydrates: 12.7g

Ingredients

• Polenta Valsugana: 100 g
• Milk: 250 ml
• Butter: 1 tbsp
• Chicken broth: 250 ml
• Grated Parmesan cheese: 4 tbsp
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Smoked tuna: 150 g
• Chicken egg: 6 pc
• Pesto: 2 tbsp
• Green basil: 0.3 bunch

Cooking steps

1. For polenta, line a 23x15 cm rectangular mold with plastic wrap or foil. Pour milk and broth into a saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, and gradually add polenta while stirring vigorously. Reduce heat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter and parmesan. Spread the mixture in a thin layer in the prepared mold, let it set for a few hours, then cut out 6 circles with a diameter of 7.5 cm using a round cutter. Heat olive oil in a pan and fry the polenta rounds on both sides until golden brown. Place on a kitchen towel.

   Required ingredients:

   • Milk: 250 ml
   • Chicken broth: 250 ml
   • Polenta Valsugana: 100 g
   • Butter: 1 tablespoon
   • Grated Parmesan cheese: 4 tablespoons
   • Olive oil: 2 tablespoons

2. Slice the smoked tuna into thin strips, then use a cutter to cut out six circles with a diameter of 5 cm. Place a piece of tuna on each polenta circle.

   Required ingredients:

   • Smoked tuna: 150 g

3. For poached eggs, pour water into a deep pot, add wine vinegar, and bring to a boil. Crack an egg into a bowl and gently pour it into the boiling water. Make sure it doesn't 'stick' to the bottom. Reduce the heat and keep the egg in the water for about 1-2 minutes. Scoop it out with a slotted spoon. Prepare five more eggs in the same way. Place one egg on each circle of polenta with tuna.

   Required ingredients:

   • Chicken egg: 6 pieces

4. Place the prepared polenta circles with tuna and poached egg on serving plates, add 1 teaspoon of green pesto to each, and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

   Required ingredients:

   • Pesto: 2 tablespoons
   • Green basil: 0.3 bunch