There’s no better way to show yourself some love than by putting lobster on pizza.
You should probably make this today.
For a long time I was a lobster purist. I wanted lobster simple and straightforward—steamed, drenched in warm butter, and eaten immediately. I’ve always loved lobster mac and cheese, but I used to push back on lobster in other dishes because I wanted nothing between me and the sweet, briny meat.
Even as a kid I stole leftover lobster romano from my mom’s weekend takeout. Over the years my lobster horizons expanded: a memorable lobster roll in Nantucket with chunky lobster, melted butter and toasted brioche convinced me, as did some excellent lobster tacos later on. Now I’m happy to enjoy lobster in almost anything—including this pizza.
This recipe is one of the brunch ideas from a spring video collaboration and it may be the biggest hit of the day. The crust is made entirely from polenta—fast-cooking instant polenta works especially well. Cook the polenta until it thickens, spread it thin on a baking sheet, and bake until it sets and becomes slightly crisp. You can shape it into one large pizza, two smaller ones, or several minis.
While the polenta crust bakes, quickly sauté lobster in butter and olive oil until just opaque—don’t overcook, as the lobster will finish in the oven. I like to use semi-dried cherry tomatoes for brightness and a touch of sweetness; they’re less waxy than fully sun-dried versions and add the perfect pop.
The base is a roasted garlic mascarpone spread topped with freshly grated fontina. Roast two heads of garlic, mash the cloves with a pinch of salt, then fold them into room-temperature mascarpone. Spread that over the cooled polenta crust, sprinkle most of the fontina on top, then scatter the lobster pieces and the semi-dried cherry tomatoes. Finish with the remaining fontina and bake until the cheese is bubbly and the edges are crisp.
After it comes out of the oven, shower the pizza with fresh basil leaves and a bit of grated Parmesan for a fragrant, bright finish. The roasted garlic melds into the creamy mascarpone while the fontina melts into gooey ribbons, pairing beautifully with sweet lobster and tangy tomatoes.
Lobster Polenta Pizza with Sun Dried Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 box instant polenta
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 2 heads roasted garlic
- 8 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 to 4 lobster tails, raw and removed from shell
- 1 jar semi-dried cherry tomatoes
- Fresh basil leaves for topping
- Freshly grated Parmesan for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Prepare the polenta according to package directions (or your preferred method) until just thickened. Spread it into a thin, even layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake 20–25 minutes, until slightly crisp and set. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Mix mascarpone in a bowl. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves into a small bowl, add a pinch of salt, and mash. Stir the mashed garlic into the mascarpone until combined.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and butter. Cook the lobster tails until just opaque and bright red—do not overcook. Season with salt and pepper, let cool slightly, then chop into bite-size pieces.
- Spread the roasted garlic mascarpone over the polenta crust, leaving about an inch border. Sprinkle three-quarters of the fontina over the mascarpone, then arrange lobster pieces and cherry tomatoes. Top with remaining fontina. Bake 15–20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and edges are crisp.
- Remove from oven, scatter fresh basil leaves and grate Parmesan over the pizza. Slice and serve immediately.
If you haven’t yet, go eat lobster.