• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Petite Cook™ logo

  • Recipes
  • Italian Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Cookbooks
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Press
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Cookbooks
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Press
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Italian Recipes

    Polenta Crostini with Jamon, Ricotta and Rocket

    Updated: Aug 21, 2022 · Published: Jan 25, 2020 by Andrea

    Jump to Recipe

    These gluten-free polenta crostini scream TASTY at every bite. All you need is a bunch of simple ingredients to put together this simple yet elegant starter.

    Polenta is ground cornmeal that you can boil and serve soft but you can also use to make delicious cakes, or simply grill and stir-fry.

    It's a popular dish in the north of Italy, and it's often served with bolognese sauce during the cold months of the year.

    Whilst a plate of rich hot polenta warms your heart when it's freezing outside, these Polenta Crostini with Jamon Ricotta and Rocket  make an awesome appetizer all-year-round.

    Since they're made with cornmeal, these tasty bites are also conveniently gluten-free.

    polenta crostini topped with ricotta, jamon, rocket leaves

    Pretty and yet simple, these flavourful bites are surely a great idea for a party, bbq or even a fancy dinner.

    How To Make Polenta Crostini

    recipe step 1: cook the polenta in a heavy saucepan until rich, dense and cooked through

    Start by cooking the polenta.

    Most grocery stores have the partially cooked version available, which only takes 15 minutes to cook.

    recipe step 2: spread the cooked polenta over a baking tray covered with parchment paper

    Once the thick polenta is fully cooked, spread it over a small tray covered with parchment paper.

    Do it while it's hot, polenta sets very quickly and you want to level it properly to create a rectangular even shape before it hardens.

    recipe step 3: level the polenta so that it forms an even rectangular base, let it cool then cut into rounds using a cookie cutter

    Allow the polenta to cool for 2o-30 minutes, then use a cookie cutter to cut it into small rounds.

    recipe step 4: grill the polenta rounds on an electric grill for 2 minutes on each side

    To grill your polenta crostini you can use a skillet or an electric grill like I did.

    Two minutes on each side and they will be perfectly crispy.

    Then top them with ricotta, spanish ham and rocket leaves, and they are ready to be devoured.

    Ingredients Tips

    polenta crostini topped with jamon, ricotta and rocket leaves

    The herby ricotta on top is one of my favorite things to eat. You can make it with store-bought ricotta, but if you have more time try my homemade ricotta -so tasty!

    I love the sweet aromatic note that adds to this dish and makes a GREAT pair with some tasty Jamón ibérico.

    If you don't have the spanish ham at hand (but you should definitely try it -I've talked about it here), go for the Italian San Daniele or your favorite cured meat.

    Or you can simply leave the protein out and keep the polenta crostini awesomely vegetarian.

    polenta crostini topped with jamon, ricotta and rocket leaves

    What I love the most about these light polenta crostini is that you can easily customize them to meet your taste.

    Have fun trying new ingredients combo, this polenta snack is basically a gluten-free bruschetta!

    polenta crostini topped with jamon, ricotta and rocket leaves

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook! Looking at your pictures always makes me smile *and super hungry*!

    Recipe

    Print SaveSaved!
    5 from 1 vote

    Polenta Crostini with Jamon, Ricotta and Rocket

    Prevent your screen from going dark
    These gluten-free polenta crostini scream TASTY at every bite. They're super easy to make and all you need is a bunch of simple ingredients.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Resting time:20 minutes mins
    Total Time25 minutes mins
    Course: Finger Food, Starter
    Cuisine: Italian
    Serving: 8
    Calories: 154kcal
    Author: Andrea Soranidis

    Ingredients

    • 1 liter water
    • 2 teaspoon salt
    • 240 grams polenta cornmeal
    • 120 grams herby ricotta
    • 4 slices iberian ham or italian prosciutto, cut into small strips
    • a bunch of fresh rocket/ arugula
    • zest of 1 lemon
    • extravirgin olive oil
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.
    • Gradually pour in the cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking continuously. Season with salt.
    • Reduce the heat to low and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is very thick, about 5 minutes.
    • Remove from the heat and spread as evenly as possible, over a tray covered with parchment paper. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and allow to set and slightly cool.
    • With the help of a cookie cutter, cut the polenta into rounds, brush with little olive oil and grill for 2 mins on each sides.
    • Spread some herby ricotta over the polenta crostini and decorate with arugula, iberian ham, and lemon zest.
    • Serve immediately at room temperature or chilled. Store in the fridge in an airtight container up to 2 days.
    Did you try this recipe? Tag @thepetitecook or use the hashtag #thepetitecook - Looking at your pictures makes my day!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 627mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.4mg

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

     

    Polenta Crostini With Jamon, Ricotta and Rocket - Gluten-free Recipe by The Petite Cook

    More Italian Recipes

    • Tuna meatballs served with tomato sauce.
      Tuna Meatballs
    • asparagus ricotta tart
      Asparagus Ricotta Tart
    • pasta al forno.
      Pasta al Forno - Italian Pasta Bake
    • octopus pasta.
      Octopus Pasta
    186 shares
    • Facebook
    • X
    • WhatsApp

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Andrea

    Andrea Soranidis, founder of The Petite Cook.


    Welcome to my kitchen!
    I’m Andrea, I'm Italian, and I absolutely LOVE cooking.
    Grab a fork and join me!
    READ MORE ABOUT ME…

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Follow us

    • facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    The Petite Cook™

    Italian Recipes Anyone Can Cook


    About Andrea

    Privacy Policy

    Work with us

    Terms

    Press

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 The Petite Cook. The Petite Cook® is a registered trademark.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.