For the polenta cake:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 deg C and position a rack in the centre of the oven.
2. Lightly grease a 9-inch spring form pan with butter.
3. Add eggs and sugar in a bowl.
4. Whisk them on medium speed until they are tripled in volume, fluffy, pale and yellow in colour.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, polenta, baking powder, zest of orange and lemon (optional) and salt.
6. Begin with beating the dry ingredients and then add one-third of the oil and egg mixture.
7. Beat and repeat again twice. Beat well.
8. Stop beating the mixture and briefly scrape down the sides of the bowl.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake for 25-30 mins.
10. Rotate the cake 180 deg C halfway through the baking time.
11. The cake is done when it springs back lightly when touched and pulls away from the sides of the pan, and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
12. Cool the cake on a rack, in the pan.
13. Remove the sides of the pan and allow the cake to cool completely.

For the cheese filling:

1. Beat the cream cheese with sugar and zest of lemon.
2. Don`t over-beat.
3. Line the sponge and top it with cream cheese mixture and fried spaghetti for garnish.
4. Sprinkle with cocoa powder if desired.

For the beetroot and basil compote:

1. Add sugar in a hard bottom pan and caramelize till its light yellow in colour, using the water.
2. Add anise seeds, rum and gelatine (dissolved in water).
3. Add the beetroot and basil leaves and simmer. Don`t mash.
4. Use as desired.
5. Serve with the above olive oil and polenta cake.