POLENTA TOASTS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND FRESH THYME

Polenta Toasts with Goat Cheese and Fresh Thyme image

Yield Makes about 50

Number Of Ingredients 6

6 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups polenta (coarse cornmeal)
Olive oil (preferably extra virgin)
7 ounces fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), room temperature
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Steps:

Lightly oil 2 baking sheets. Combine 6 cups water and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil. Gradually add cornmeal, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until polenta is thick and creamy, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spoon warm polenta out onto wet work surface. Roll out polenta with wet rolling pin to 1/3-inch thickness. Cool completely. Using wet 1 3/4- to- 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out polenta rounds. Discard polenta scraps. Transfer rounds to baking sheets.
Lightly brush polenta with oil. Bake polenta 15 minutes. Turn polenta rounds over. Lightly brush with oil and bake until polenta is slightly puffed and pale golden, about 10 minutes longer.
Spoon goat cheese into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Transfer polenta rounds to platter. Pipe 1 small rosette in center of each polenta round. Sprinkle with thyme and serve.