VegetarianPiemontese cuisine Main Course

Polenta Concia Piemontese

Name: Polenta Concia Piemontese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Piemontese
Ingredients: 300 g coarse yellow cornmeal (farina di mais bramata); 1.2 l Water; 300 ml Whole milk; 10 g Fine sea salt; 250 g toma piemontese pdo; 100 g Unsalted butter; 50 g grana padano pdo; 4 leaves fresh sage leaves

Rich Piedmontese cornmeal porridge beaten with local Toma cheese and sizzling melted alpine butter until lusciously thick and creamy.

🇮🇹Italy· Piedmont

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 50 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 560 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

300 g coarse yellow cornmeal (farina di mais bramata) — stone-ground coarse grain
1¼ l Water — cold water
300 ml Whole milk — adds silkiness
10 g Fine sea salt — adjust to taste
250 g toma piemontese pdo — semi-aged Piedmontese cow's milk cheese, rind removed, diced small
100 g Unsalted butter — good quality alpine butter
50 g grana padano pdo — finely grated
4 leaves fresh sage leaves — optional aromatics for the butter

Equipment

•Heavy-bottomed pot or copper cauldron
•Wooden polenta spoon
•Small saucepan
•Whisk

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 560 kcal
fat: 28 g
carbs: 58 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 19 g
calories: 560 kcal

Instructions

1
Pour the water and whole milk into a heavy-bottomed pot, add the fine sea salt, and bring to a gentle boil.
2
Gradually pour the coarse cornmeal into the simmering liquid in a steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming.
3
Switch to a sturdy wooden spoon once the mixture thickens and lower the heat to a very gentle simmer.
4
Cook the polenta for 45 minutes, stirring steadily every few minutes until it pulls cleanly away from the pot sides.
5
Melt the butter with the sage leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat until foamy, nutty, and lightly browned.
6
Remove the polenta pot from the heat and immediately fold in the diced Toma Piemontese until fully melted.
7
Stir in the grated Grana Padano until the mixture turns smooth and glossy.
8
Pour the sizzling brown butter over the polenta, stir once to streak through, and ladle into warm bowls immediately.

Chef's tips

Always add the cornmeal gradually into hot liquid while whisking rapidly to ensure no dry pockets or lumps remain. Cube the cheese finely before stirring in so it melts swiftly into the steaming cornmeal without cooling the pot down.

Ingredient substitutions

Toma Piemontese PDO → Fontina PDO, Taleggio, or mild Fontal
whole milk → equal volume of additional water for a traditional water-only base

Storage

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, although the cheese texture is best when fresh.

Reheating

Slice chilled firm polenta and pan-fry in a little butter until golden and crisp on both sides.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding the cornmeal all at once, which produces stubborn lumps that cannot be stirred out.
•Not cooking coarse bramata polenta long enough, leaving raw grains with an unpleasant gritty mouthfeel.

Serving suggestions

Serve steaming hot in deep ceramic bowls alongside a robust Piedmontese Nebbiolo or Barbera.Pair with slow-braised beef or stewed mountain sausages for a substantial feast.