Polenta Valdostana

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 800 ml water
• 1 tsp, leveled salt
• 300 g polenta semolina
• 180 g cheese, Italian (Fontina)
• 80 g butter
• e.g. nutmeg
• n. B. Pepper, white from the mill
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

Polenta from the Aosta Valley

Bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the cornmeal and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Then cover and let the porridge simmer for about 30 minutes over very low heat. Peel the onion, slice it thinly, and cut it into rings. Heat olive oil in a pan and fry the onion rings until crispy. Drain the fat on kitchen paper and let it cool. If you can’t find Fontina cheese, you can also use Gruyère or mountain cheese. Cut the cheese into small cubes. Once the polenta is cooked, remove it from the heat. Add the cheese cubes and the butter flakes to the polenta. Stir everything into the porridge over low heat for a few minutes until the cheese has melted. Season with nutmeg and pepper. At the table, arrange the onion rings on top. Serve with a ragù from Piedmont or pan-fried meat, or vegetarian Mediterranean vegetables.