Polenta Topped with Butter and Cheese

Name: Polenta Condita con Burro e Formaggio
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 6 porzioni
Cuisine: Italiana
Ingredients: Ingredienti per 6 persone; 500 g di farina di mais; 100 g di parmigiano; 70 g di burro; olio extravergine d’oliva; sale

Polenta Condita con Burro e Formaggio

Polenta of corn served in chunks, with Parmigiano Reggiano grated and melted butter until brown.

6 servings

Easy

There polenta seasoned with butter and cheese, it is a warm and hearty dish, suitable for lunch or dinner where the simplicity of the ingredients leaves room for technique. The corn base offers a compact and soft consistency, while the Parmigiano Reggiano It adds flavor and a full note; the melted butter, brought to a brown color, completes the whole with an intense aroma and a shiny surface. The preparation requires slow cooking and constant stirring, essential elements to obtain a polenta Smooth, lump-free, and dense enough to be served in slices or chunks. This simple version highlights the contrast between the warm corn mass, the grated cheese, and the boiling butter.

Instructions

Voice reading

8 steps · natural Italian voice

Bring the water to a boil

Pour two liters of water into a large pot, salt And bring to a boilWait for a regular and widespread boil, with continuous bubbles on the surface, before adding the flour: very hot water helps even cooking and facilitates the incorporation of the flour. cornmeal.

Incorporate the flour

Pour the cornmeal sprinkling in gradually in boiling water, stirring at the same time with a whiskProceed slowly and without interrupting the movement, so that the flour disperses in the water without clumping. Complete the addition when the mixture It appears uniform and free of visible lumps.

Add the oil

Join a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil polenta and mix it with the whiskWork it until you obtain a homogeneous mass, without separate traces of oil on the surface, before continuing with prolonged cooking.

Cook the polenta

45 min

Cook the polenta for 45 minutes, stirring regularly. Keep cooking constantly and check that the mixture becomes progressively thicker and more uniform. polenta it is ready when it is compact, well mixed and no longer has an evident grainy consistency.

Let it rest polenta

Turn it upside down polenta cooked on the appropriate cutting board and let it rest for a few minutes. Resting allows the mixture to settle and become easier to portion. Proceed when the surface is no longer excessively fluid and the polenta keeps its shape on the cutting board.

Arrange the portions

Serve the polenta Slice or roughly tear off chunks with a large spoon. Arrange the pieces side by side on a warmed serving platter to better retain heat and create a base ready for the dressing.

Melt and brown the butter

Melt the butter in a shallow pan until boiling, and let it cook until it turns brown. Test by observing the color of the melted butter: it should be golden brown, but not burning.

Season and serve

Sprinkle the polenta with the Parmigiano Reggiano grated and finish with the melted hot butter, distributing it evenly over the pieces. Serve immediately, while the sauce is still hot and the cheese can stick to the surface of the polenta.

Chef's Tips

Pour the flour sprinkling in gradually in the boiling water while incorporating it with a whisk: this step limits the formation of lumps and makes the polenta uniform.