Polenta e Frico di Malga

Name: Polenta e Frico di Malga
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Friulana
Ingredients: 300 g coarse yellow cornmeal (farina di mais bramata); 1.2 l Water; 10 g Fine sea salt; 250 g aged montasio cheese (stravecchio or mezzano); 150 g fresh or semi-aged montasio cheese (fresco); 15 g Lard or butter; 2 g freshly cracked black pepper

A crisp, golden disc of fried alpine cheese served over warm, coarse yellow polenta. In Friulian dialect, frico is the quintessential mountain skillet cheese.

🇮🇹Italy· Friuli Venezia Giulia

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 590 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 7 gathered

Servings

300 g coarse yellow cornmeal (farina di mais bramata) — stone-ground polenta flour
1¼ l Water — for boiling polenta
10 g Fine sea salt — to taste
250 g aged montasio cheese (stravecchio or mezzano) — coarsely grated, or mixed aged alpine cheese
150 g fresh or semi-aged montasio cheese (fresco) — coarsely grated to aid melting
15 g Lard or butter — traditional fat for the pan
2 g freshly cracked black pepper — optional, to finish

Equipment

•Heavy-bottomed saucepan
•Non-stick frying pan
•Wooden spoon
•Box grater
•Silicone spatula

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 590 kcal
fat: 28 g
carbs: 56 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 28 g
calories: 590 kcal

Instructions

1
Bring the water to a boil in a heavy saucepan and stir in the sea salt.
2
Pour the cornmeal into the boiling water in a steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
3
Lower the heat and cook the polenta for 40 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until thick and smooth.
4
Grate all the Montasio cheese using the coarse side of a box grater and combine the aged and young cheese together.
5
Melt the lard in a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat until it coats the base.
6
Scatter the grated cheese evenly across the pan in a single flat layer.
7
Cook gently without moving the cheese until the fat renders out and the underside turns deep golden brown and crisp.
8
Tilt the pan carefully to pour off excess rendered oil into a heatproof bowl.
9
Flip the cheese disc with a spatula and fry the second side for 3 to 4 minutes until equally crisp.
10
Spoon warm polenta onto plates, slide the hot crispy frico over the top, and season with black pepper if desired.

Chef's tips

Using a blend of young and aged Montasio provides both melty cohesion and deep savoury flavour. Drain the excess rendered fat before flipping so the frico crisps properly rather than becoming soggy. A reliable non-stick pan is crucial to prevent the cheese from sticking permanently.

Ingredient substitutions

Montasio cheese → a mix of young Asiago and mature Piave or Gruyère
lard → unsalted butter or mild olive oil

Storage

Store leftover polenta and frico separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat the polenta with a splash of water over low heat and re-crisp the frico in a hot, dry frying pan for 2 minutes per side.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using high heat, which burns the cheese before a cohesive crust can form.
•Stirring the cheese while it fries instead of letting it form a solid disc.
•Leaving all the rendered fat in the pan, which prevents the frico from crisping.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately with a glass of robust Friulano or Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso.Pair with pickled vegetables or brovada (fermented turnips) to cut through the rich cheese.