Crispy Polenta Chips with Parmesan and Rosemary Salt


Ever since Jamie's Italian opened a branch in Sydney, I've only been there once, with three other friends. I had the Buffalo Ricotta ravioli with lemon and mint, which in all honesty, I thought was a rather confusing dish because as I was eating it, I kept tasting Lemon Curd Tart, and wished it was served as a dessert instead. If it was intended to be a main-and-dessert all in one, it certainly achieved its purpose. I suppose we had higher expectations for the food, as we found that the other mains were either underseasoned or lacking in flavour (we must have caught the chef on a bad day). That explains why I never went back again. Well, not until Ms L told me that the crispy polenta chips at Jamie's Italian were very, very good. I did want to go back just to try them, but the rest of the girls weren't really keen on going back just to have a small bowl of overpriced chips.
 
So, I did a bit of research and stumbled upon quite a few recipes for polenta chips. It's basically polenta cakes that are sliced, coated in [raw] polenta and deep-fried. These are then sprinkled with rosemary salt and grated parmesan while they are still hot. My oh my, they were so crispy and delicious, especially with the umami flavours from the parmesan combined with the scent of rosemary. Addictive! These would make a great snack for movie nights, games nights, or simply with a pint of beer in one hand. You can even make the polenta cakes ahead of time and refrigerate them until you're ready to fry and serve them up. I bet they'll taste great with aioli too!
 

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