Polenta di Carnia con Formaggio

Name: Polenta di Carnia con Formaggio
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Friulana
Ingredients: 1500 ml Water; 12 g Fine sea salt; 300 g coarse yellow maize meal; 250 g young montasio dop cheese; 60 g Unsalted butter; 40 g aged montasio dop cheese; 2 g freshly ground black pepper

Slow-cooked coarse yellow maize polenta beaten with young Montasio cheese and alpine butter, known locally in Friulian as polente cun formadi.

🇮🇹Italy· Friuli Venezia Giulia

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 50 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 480 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

1500 ml Water — cold water
12 g Fine sea salt — or to taste
300 g coarse yellow maize meal — farina di mais bramata
250 g young montasio dop cheese — fresco or mezzano, diced small
60 g Unsalted butter — alpine mountain butter
40 g aged montasio dop cheese — stagionato, finely grated for serving
2 g freshly ground black pepper — optional, to finish

Equipment

•Heavy-bottomed copper pot or saucepan
•Long wooden spoon or polenta stick
•Whisk
•Chef knife

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 480 kcal
fat: 21 g
carbs: 58 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 16 g
calories: 480 kcal

Instructions

1
Bring the cold salted water to a steady rolling boil in a heavy pot.
2
Pour in the maize meal in a slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously to prevent any lumps from forming.
3
Switch to a sturdy wooden spoon once the polenta begins to thicken.
4
Lower the heat to gentle simmer and cook for forty minutes, stirring frequently so the base does not scorch.
5
Melt the diced butter in a small pan until lightly foaming and nutty.
6
Add the diced young Montasio and warm melted butter into the thick bubbling polenta.
7
Beat the mixture vigorously with the wooden spoon until the cheese melts completely and ribbons form.
8
Pour the steaming, glossy cheese polenta onto a wooden board or into warm shallow bowls.
9
Dust with grated aged Montasio and freshly cracked black pepper before serving immediately.

Chef's tips

Use coarse bramata maize flour for authentic texture. Stirring steadily ensures the starch releases smoothly so the Montasio emulsifies without turning oily.

Ingredient substitutions

young Montasio DOP cheese → young Asiago Pressato or mild Fontina
aged Montasio DOP cheese → aged Piave DOP or Parmigiano Reggiano

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Reheating

Slice cold set polenta and griddle in foaming butter until golden and crisp on both sides.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding the cornmeal too quickly, which creates stubborn, uncooked dry flour lumps.
•Rushing the cooking time, leaving the maize grains gritty rather than tender and creamy.
•Letting the pot boil too vigorously, which splashes dangerously and scorches the bottom.

Serving suggestions

Serve directly from a wooden board alongside sautéed wild forest mushrooms.Pair with a glass of Friulano or Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso.Serve with stewed mountain greens or braised radicchio.