Thin Polenta Crust Pizza - Feta, sweet caramelized onion and wilted spinach - Gluten free and VEGAN!

I don't even remember how I came across it...it is a ssshhh..secret, anyway so..I guess it doesn't matter how..BUT I'm IN.   A new member of The Secret Recipe Club..Woo hoo! I BELONG.

It all sounds very childhood 'swallows and amazons' doesn't it?  Fun. That's nice.

SRC assigns you to a fellow blogger.  Your mission - should you wish to accept it - is to pick 1 recipe from their blog (It took me days to decide!) and then recreate it in your own style: sinfull to sinless or visa versa; swap an ingredient; spice it up perhaps; or push up the 4 to 5 of your 'a day' quota;  doh! ruin it (oh dear God, hopefully not!)... anything..FREE REIGN.

For my FIRST assignment (oh the importance of it all!) I was given a link on a disk that self destructed upon reading (ok, that is a lie..I was emailed it).  It revealed COOKIN CHEMIST to be my focus of culinary capers (no pun intended but..hey great foodie connection!).   After much consideration I picked pizza to morph.  They seemed to LOVE pizza...I was walking a tightrope.. They could either LOVE or hate my recreation.  I'm a brave lass. 

Here is Tessa of Cookin Chemist's original recipe for Feta, Onions & Spinach Pizza.  I decided to vegan..ize and gluten... free...ze free it.

But HOW?..I hear you cry.  Hush sweet cook, the answer is within; 

VEGAN FETA, CARAMELIZED ONION & SPINACH PIZZA ON GLUTEN FREE POLENTA CRUST

Serves 2- 4

For the polenta base

1 1/4 cup polenta

3 cups water

1 vegan stock cube

1 flax egg ( previous post recipe for 'egg' replacer.  )

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp of each; basil, oregano, parsley

1/4 tsp black pepper

1.in a pan pour in polenta and add all but the flax 'egg' and stir gently until brought to a boil..turn down the heat to a simmer and continue stirring until polenta thickens.
2. remove from heat and mix in the 'egg'.
3.pour into a cake pan, the type with a removeable base, and refrigerate for minimum of 30 minutes
4.place in a preheated oven - 375 degrees - and bake for 35mins.  Leave to cool.

I had seen a few recipes on the web that bemoaned their base being delicate but with the use of the flax 'egg' it holds up (literally) very well.  A great result.

For the topping

1 cup spinach (for some reason I prefer frozen as it is less 'earthy' and easier.  just thaw and squeeze out excess liquid..drink this/put it in a soup or smoothie)

1 large onion cut into rings

marinara sauce (see below)

3/4 cup vegan cheese (I used Cheezly's Cheddar..it's light and tastes 'feta' like)

1 tbs olive oil

black pepper to taste

a swirl of balsamic glaze (optional)

To make the marinara sauce

1/2 can chopped tomatoes

a few basil leaves

1 tbs nutritional yeast (you can also a splash of Braggs Aminos or Tamari

1 clove garlic - chopped

1/4 tsp salt

cracking of black pepper

1. make the marinara - lightly fry the garlic then add all the remaining ingredients.  Cook on a low heat for 10 mins.
2. put sliced onions into a pan on a low heat with oil.  Put on the lid and leave to cook for 15 mins until caramelized and sweet.
2.grab your base (loosen it from the cake tin base) and spoon and spread over the marinara sauce
3.next up is the onions
4. dot the spinach over the top
5. crumble/dice over the 'feta'
6.a flourish of black pepper
7.swirl over balsamic glaze if using
8.cut and serve to the hungry

Job done.  Very yum.  What a great way to find inspiration - thanks to the Secret Recipe Club & Tessa of Cookin Chemist!

Top Tips..

I made double the recipe  for the base and froze the extra base to save time when the next pizza craving strikes.
I made the pizza as part of a party spread so I had a slice leftover.  I put it in the freezer and it froze very well.

Tell all your yeast free, gluten free friends about the base...I am totally converted!