In my experience, there’s no such thing as a bad pizza. Sure, there are less-than-great pizzas, but sometimes even a frozen pizza hits the spot. Maybe I’m just not picky. Or maybe my pizza standard is lower than it should be.

Regardless, I love pizza.

It’s comforting, [usually] cheesy, and comes in so many shapes and forms. The pizza featured today is definitely on the furthest side of the spectrum from Italy, New York, and Chicago. Not only is this pizza not baked in an oven, it doesn’t have a dough-based crust.

Instead of dough, I made a polenta crust for this pizza. Why? Because I had polenta. And because experimentation almost always leads to discovery, and if that discovery is a new way to eat pizza, then I am all in!

Now, normally I wouldn’t use the word ‘crust’ when describing something made with polenta, but this base turned out surprisingly crust-like! Not only was I able to hoist the pizza slice one-handed and take a bite, but there was a light crunch when I did. Magic!

Here’s how I did it.

Polenta Pan PIzza

Serves 2 for entrée, 4 for appetizer

18oz polenta log, pre-cooked (you can also make it yourself following a recipe such as this one by Giada).
Splash of water or stock (veggie, chicken, etc.)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 Parmesan cheese (I bought shredded; steer clear of the powdered version for this)
Salt & Pepper

Toppings I used:

Pizza sauce (from a jar, or your own: 1/2 of a 9oz can tomato sauce mixed with 1tsp each oregano, dried parsley, garlic and onion powders, thyme or any other herbs you like).
Cheese (mozzarella & white cheddar)
Mushrooms
Kale

Directions:

1. Turn the oven broiler on to medium heat, and adjust the rack so it sits directly below the heat.

2. Cut the polenta log in half and mash it with a fork into small pieces. Splash about a tablespoon of the stock (or water) to get a paste consistency similar to cold oatmeal.

3. Stir in the beaten egg and seasonings. Stir in the parmesan cheese.

4. Generously grease a metal frying pan (non-stick is acceptable, but not ideal for making a good crust) and set it over high heat. Once the pan is hot, turn the heat down to medium and carefully spread the polenta mix across the bottom of the pan. Depending on your pan size, you may have extra polenta, so start with 2/3 the amount and add more if needed.

5. Let the polenta start to cook, for about 5 minutes. Check it regularly and adjust the burner heat as needed. Once you can slide a spatula under an edge and have it come away easily from the pan, take it off the heat.

6. While the polenta is crusting up, prepare your toppings. At this point, I sautéed the mushrooms in butter and thyme, then tossed my kale on top right at the end and covered the pan to allow for wilting.

7. Spread your pizza sauce as generously as you like, then add your toppings. End with the cheese for maximum bronzing under the broiler. If your pan has plastic on the handle and is not oven safe, leave it out of the oven slightly. As my pan was metal, I slid it fully into the oven and shut the door. If you do this, REMEMBER THAT METAL GETS HOT! I have burned my palms many a time pulling my sauté pan out of the oven. Keep a pot holder in your line of sight to remind you, if needed.

8. Broil the pizza until the cheese is melted and golden brown.  As you can see, I burned the top edges of the crust under the broiler. To avoid this, you can cover the edge of the pan in tinfoil, or make sure the edges of the crust don’t rise too high out of the pan.

9. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for a minute or so. Loosen the edges of the crust, as needed, and slide the pizza onto a cutting board. Slice into as many pieces as you wish!

While this will never replace the doughy, chewy, cheesy, saucy pizza heaven which is regular pizza, it’s a great alternative for a meal which feels familiar and yet is something new. Give it a try!

Do you have a favorite kind of pizza?