This is polenta bake was an old favourite that was made with Hungarian hot salami and yet again, this is a meal that is able to be veganised very easily and deliciously.

The polenta serves as a base and is nicely thickened using soy milk, while the bake mixture is a delicious combination of sweet red onion and capsicum, with the fiery vegan pepperoni and melted cheese.

Delicious fresh ingredients and a thick milky polenta base.

The smell when this was frying up was amazing. Once it’s done, layering it on the polenta is a sinch.

Right out of the oven!

Ingredients for the Capsicum, Red Onion & Vegan Pepperoni Polenta Bake

Polenta Mixture

• 1 litre / 4 cups of water
• 1/2 litre / 2 cups of soy milk
• Pinch of Himalayan salt
• 1 tbsp Nuttelex butter
• 2 cups of polenta

Bake Mixture

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Fresh basil and oregano
• 1 tbsp Himalayan salt (approximately)
• 1 tbsp crushed peppercorns
• 1 red capsicum
• 1 red onion
• 1 seitan vegan pepperoni sausage, thinly sliced
• 2 tins of whole tomatoes
• Grated vegan mozzarella cheese

Steps for Making the Capsicum, Red Onion & Vegan Pepperoni Polenta Bake

1. Cut up the capsicum into long strips, the red onion in half so that the slices make long half circle shapes (see photos) and slice the vegan pepperoni as thinly as possible.
2. On high heat, add all liquid into a large saucepan and stir regularly.
3. Add in the polenta. Keep on high heat, continually stirring with a spatula. Make sure you get all the polenta off the edges and always keep it moving.
4. Turn down to medium heat once the mixture begins to thicken. Don’t stop stirring–the goal is to turn this into a thick mixture as it will be used as the base.
   Tip: If you find it is not thickening up, simply add a bit more polenta and ensure you stir thoroughly so that all the grains are cooked.
5. Once it’s ready, it’ll be sticking to the sides and the spatula. Remove from heat and press into a greased baking tray (canola oil spray or similar)1 with a 5cm edging.
6. Once that is done, place the baking tray into the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180C.
8. In a large fry pan, on high heat, add 2 tbsp of olive oil, the capsicum and the red onion. Cook for 5 minutes until it begins to soften. Add a a sprinkle of salt and pepper and the torn fresh herbs.
9. Reduce heat to medium-high and add the sliced pepperoni. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
10. Add in the tin tomatoes and gentle stir to ensure everything is thoroughly coated.
11. Taste test as you may need to add more salt to reduce the sweetness of the tomatoes.
12. Now that the bake mixture is ready, remove from heat and use a large serving spoon to spoon the mixture on top of the polenta. Ensure all edges are covered and top with grated vegan cheese.
13. Place into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted.