Creamy Polenta with Egg, Arrabiata & Bacon
By: Rachael White
Published: Saturday, April 20, 2013 - 8:23am

Ingredients




1 cup stone ground polenta (not instant)
4 oz. goat cheese
2 oz. cream cheese
salt & black pepper
4 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 slices of thick cut bacon
1 cup arrabiata sauce (arrabiata is readily available in most grocery stores, but if you cannot find it, you can buy traditional marinara and add red pepper flakes which will release their heat as the sauce heats on the stove)
Fresh thyme or flat leaf parsley for garnish

Preparation

1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 2 Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the polenta, whisking continuously until there are no lumps and it begins to thicken slightly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the polenta to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it from overcooking. 3 When the polenta has thickened and become tender, stir in the goat cheese and cream cheese. Stir until the cheese are melted and fully incorporated into the polenta. Add salt and pepper to taste. 4 Meanwhile, place the bacon on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Roast for 15-18 minutes or until the bacon is golden and crisp. When it is done, remove it from the oven and place the bacon strips on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside. 5 In a small saucepan or in the microwave, heat the marinara sauce until just simmering. Keep warm until you are ready to assemble your bowls. 6 In a large non-stick skillet, heat the 1 T olive oil over medium heat. If your pan is large enough, add the four eggs and allow them to cook until the whites are opaque but still a bit runny on the top. Put a lid over the pan and turn off the heat. Allow the eggs to continue cooking under the lid until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny. If your pan is small, fry the eggs in batches. 7 To assemble the bowls, spoon even amounts of polenta in each bowl. Top with a spoonful of the arrabiata, 1 egg and 2 slices of bacon. Garnish with chopped thyme or parsley leaves. Serve immediately.

About

Creamy, comforting polenta topped with oven-cooked bacon, a fried egg with a perfect runny yolk, and spicy arrabiata sauce. This recipe is great for brunch, dinner parties, or for an easy and elegant weeknight dinner.