Polenta Broiled With Mushrooms and Cheese - Testing

1 - I removed this from La Mouffette Gourmande - it's a recipe that pre-dates the tiered testing I do, and when I tried to reproduce the polenta crust for another recipe, it wasn't what I was looking for nor what I remembered from the first try. Back to the drawing board!
NOTE: the polenta base was too mild and watery when I coupled it with the meat sauce. I would be better if it was more dense and maybe broiled before adding the toppings for a bit of browning/smokiness.

2 - It's very good but the polenta would be nicer if it was crispy. I got the top to crisp a bit by leaving it longer in the oven, but the underside stays soft.

What can cheese not do? Very little, in fact it may just be the answer we've been looking for to achieve World Peace. For your next beauty pageant, think of that for your speech. In this case cheese elevates plain old polenta and mushrooms for a super simple dish with very few ingredients.
NOTE: when using the Provolone, I'd like to try adding an herb like thyme.

Part 1: the Polenta
3 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup cornmeal
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
Part 2 - Option 1 - the Mushroom Mixture
2 Tbsps. olive oil
1 1/2 cups 6 ozbutton mushrooms, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. dry white wine
pinch of salt
Part 2 - Option 2
1 - 2 cups leftover meat sauce
Part 3 - the Cheese Topping
1/2 cup 2-3 oz mild hard cheese like mozzarella or gruyere, shredded
1/2 cup 2-3 oz cheddar cheese or 1/2 cup mild provolone cheese, shredded
ground black pepper, Parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a saucepan, bring the water and salt to a rapid boil.
3. Add the cornmeal in a thin, steady stream, whisking to prevent lumps, then whisk in the olive oil.
4. Lower the heat to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the polenta thickens. Remove from the heat and allow to sit 5-10 minutes.
5. Oil a pie pan and pour in the polenta. Press the mixture into the shape of a pie crust, and prick holes in it as you would for a pie crust. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the mushrooms and garlic on medium heat until the oil is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
7. Stir in the wine and add salt, simmering for a few more minutes, until the mushrooms are al-dente.
8. Preheat the broiler.
9. Mix the cheeses together, then sprinkle half of it directly on the polenta and add some pepper. Spoon the sauteed mushrooms over this and finish with the rest of the cheese, topping with more pepper.
10. Broil for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown, and serve bubbling hot.