Flavoured Polenta

This recipe is a classic for winter evenings in the mountains, when it's really cold outside but inside the house a lovely log fire is burning and the company is cheerful and talkative: we refer to the gastronomic classic, flavoured polenta, known as ‘polenta concia’ in Italian. Its origins are to be found in the Val D'Aosta or in the province of Biella, where it is made with ‘Toma’ or other mountain cheeses, and with the addition of butter or milk. The ‘concia’ style is a way of flavouring the polenta transforming it into a unique, delicious and invigorating dish. Prepare it with any of your favourite melting cheese, such as Provolone, Gorgonzola or Toma. Enjoy it with a great glass of wine. When you have mastered the recipe, you can prepare it on-the-go with cheeses that you have in the house. If you have made some polenta, you can prepare the polenta the following day. It will still be delicious.

Cook the maize flour in salted water. Grease an ovenproof dish. When the polenta is ready, pour half in the pan. Add plenty of sliced cheese and some butter. Finish with the remaining polenta, then cover with more cheese slices, plenty of Parmesan and some more flakes of butter. Bake at 180 °C for 30 minutes.