Polenta concia

In Italian, concia means “seasoned”. Here the polenta is enriched with plenty of butter and two cheeses: fontina, the great cheese of the Aosta Valley, and toma, a semi-hard cheese made in the Italian Alps. The dish is finished in the oven.

Serves 4

• 300 g maize flour for polenta
• 1.2 litres water
• 200 g fontina
• 100 g toma
• 100 g butter
• salt

Step by step

1. In a large saucepan, bring the salted water to the boil.
2. Pour in the maize flour in a steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
3. Lower the heat. Leave to cook for about 40 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon.
4. While it cooks, cut the fontina and toma into small cubes.
5. The polenta is done when it comes away from the sides of the pan. Take it off the heat.
6. Stir in the butter (keep a little back for the top) and some of the cheese. Mix well so that it melts.
7. Pour half the polenta into an ovenproof dish.
8. Spread the rest of the cheese in a layer in the middle.
9. Cover with the remaining polenta.
10. Dot the top with a few pieces of butter.
11. Bake at 180 °C for 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is lightly golden.

What to eat it with

Serve it piping hot, in its baking dish. It is a dish for winter evenings. It is often accompanied by cured meats from the valley or by meat in a sauce.