RECIPE MAGIC!

POLENTA CONCIA: ALPINE DINNER

Polenta concia, a frequently served dish from Italy’s Alpine north, is celebrated throughout the winter. A complete, wholesome, steaming dinner, it’s a spoonable version of polenta meant to be eaten hot and shared immediately off the stove. Butter EVOO and cheese are stirred directly into the polenta, giving it a rich, generous texture that invites everyone to keep scooping, stay at the table a little longer, and forget about the cold outside.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup/200g polenta
3 tbsp Butter EVOO
150 g Fontina cheese, sliced or cubed (or sub Havarti or Gouda)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Bring the water and salt to a steady simmer in a heavy pot. Slowly pour in the polenta while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat to low and switch to a wooden spoon. Cook gently, stirring often, until the polenta is smooth, thick, and no longer gritty, about 35–45 minutes. If it tightens too quickly, loosen with small splashes of hot water. The texture should stay soft and spoonable, not stiff.

Remove the pot from the heat. Add the Butter EVOO and stir until fully incorporated. Add the cheese in two additions, stirring until melted and full incorporated before adding the rest. The polenta should be glossy, rich, and cohesive.

Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve immediately while hot and soft like a thick soup. Polenta concia should be spooned. Letting it cool too much will cause it to set and lose its spoonable texture.