Polenta-Baked Eggs with Corn, Tomato and Fontina

 

2 C. (475 ml) water

1/2 cup (70 grams) fine polenta or yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup (60 grams) fresh corn kernels, from 1 small cob (or use frozen, defrosted)

1/2 cup (55 grams) coarsely grated fontina, plus 3 T. for sprinkling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 T. (30 grams) sour cream or creme fraiche

1/4 cup (60 grams) prepared tomato sauce or tomato puree

4 large eggs

Fresh flat-leaf parsley or chives, for garnish

 

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring the water to a simmer in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta, trying to avoid lumps then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the mixture, stirring almost constantly, for 15 minutes. Stir in the corn kernels, and cook for 5 minutes more, continuing to stir regularly. Add Vi cup cheese and stir until melted; then season well with salt and pepper. Add the sour cream and stir until partially combined. (I like to leave a few creamy bits throughout.) Coat a 1-quart baking dish or an 8-to-8‘/2-inch oven-safe skillet with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the polenta to the dish, then dollop with spoonfuls of tomato; swirl them unevenly into the polenta, so that there are pockets of tomato throughout. Smooth the top of the polenta and use a spoon to make four deep wells and crack an egg into each hole. Sprinkle the whole dish with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the 3 T. cheese. Bake in the heated oven until the whites are firm and the yolks are runny; you can check progress by inserting a toothpick into the whites to see if they’ve firmed up. If you plan to serve this dish more than a few minutes after taking it out of the oven, remove the eggs from the polenta before they are done, because otherwise they will continue to cook in the hot polenta. If you’d like it to be a little brown on top, run the pan under your broiler when the eggs are only halfway as cooked as you like. Sprinkle with parsley or chives and serve with a spoon.