Recipe: baked buckwheat polenta with blue cheese sauce

Recipe: baked buckwheat polenta with blue cheese sauce

3h prep | 40m cook

Last updated

It’s difficult to imagine a more homely, nourishing dish than a bowl of warm polenta. But, somehow, this traditional Italian recipe manages to out-cozy it.

A parmesan and butter-spiked cake of buckwheat polenta, chosen for its incredible flavour and texture, is enveloped in a creamy blue cheese sauce and baked until good and brown.

Originating in Lombardia in Italy’s Alpine region, buckwheat polenta (‘polenta taragna’, named for the long stick traditionally used to stir the polenta) is a mixture of fine cornmeal and buckwheat flour. Ready in 5 minutes, it’s also delicious served hot with butter, garlic and sage or with pork sausages and mushrooms.


Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

FOR THE POLENTA
  • 1/2 cup buckwheat polenta
  • 2 cups stock of your choice
  • 50g butter
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • Salt and pepper to taste
 
FOR THE SAUCE
  • 100g gorgonzola, or another soft blue cheese
  • 50g grated parmesan
  • 300mL cream

Bring 2 cups stock to a simmer and add ½ cup buckwheat polenta, stirring for 5-10 minutes until thick and creamy. Stir in 50g butter and ½ cup grated parmesan, then season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl or dish and leave in fridge to set for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 200C. Warm 100g gorgonzola, 50g grated parmesan & 300mL cream in a small saucepan until well combined. Invert polenta into an oven-proof dish, spoon over cheese sauce and bake until golden.

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