This polenta with fontina is a classic Italian recipe that can be your ideal breakfast or light lunch. It is healthy and delicious! My nonna Angela used to make this simple and beautiful dish as a Sunday breakfast when we were staying at her house in Caldiero for the weekends. Here is the recipe:
Servings 4
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 140 grams/5 oz. coarsely ground polenta
- 4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing
- 175 grams/6 oz. fontina cheese
- Freshly ground white pepper
- To garnish: more cheese/ rosemary leaf (optional)
Instructions:
- Put 1 litre/1 ¾ pints of water in a large saucepan with the salt and bring to the boil. Add the polenta, stirring constantly, and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and leave the polenta to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring constantly, until it no longer sticks to the pan.
- Rinse a round baking dish with cold water. Transfer the polenta to the dish, spread it smooth and leave to cool. Remove it from the dish and slice through it twice, horizontally, to give three even layers. Clean the baking dish and grease it with butter.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Thinly slice the cheese. Lay a slice of polenta in the baking dish. Top it with a third of the cheese slices, season with pepper, then cover with the next slice of polenta. Repeat, then spread the remaining cheese on top. Place little dabs of butter over it. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove, slice and serve warm.
Buon Appetito!