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polenta taragna recipe

Polenta Taragna Recipe

Silvana Nava
Polenta Taragna is a typical dish of Valtellina, a mountainous region of Lombardy. In this preparation they mix yellow cornmeal with buckwheat flour (usually ⅔ buckwheat and ⅓ cornmeal). Then, while cooking the polenta, they add local cheese and butter. The result is a polenta with a silky texture and irresistible creaminess.
The name "taragna" comes from the Valtellina dialect "tarare" ("girare, mescolare" in Italian, "to stir" in English). In fact, during the preparation, the polenta is stirred constantly with a wooden tool called "tarai" or "tarel" to prevent it from sticking to the copper pot ("paiolo") hanging in the fireplace.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4
Calories 465 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g polenta taragna. 2 ½ cup, or you can use ⅔ buckwheat flour + ⅓ cornmeal
  • 2 liters water 8 ½ cups
  • 10 grams salt ~¾ tablespoon, coarse
  • 300 g cheese 10,5 0z, semi-fat, Casera, Bitto, Fontina, Branzi, Taleggio
  • 125 g butter ~1 stick, unsulted

Instructions
 

  • Bring 2 liters (8 ½ cups) of water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed or copper polenta pot. When it boils, reduce the heat to low and add 10 grams (~¾ tablespoon) of coarse salt. Then slowly pour in the 400 grams (2 ½ cups) of polenta taragna flour, stirring quickly with a whisk.
  • When the water has taken up all the polenta, start stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 50 minutes/1 hour.
  • While the polenta is cooking, remove the rind from the cheese and cut it into small pieces. Cut the butter into pieces as well. 10 minutes before the end of cooking, add the cheese first and then the butter.
  • Stir until the cheese and butter have melted and incorporated. Turn off the heat and let stand 5 minutes. Pour the polenta taragna into a large bowl or serving dish and serve piping hot accompanied by my delicious Brasato al Barolo or Spezzatino with Mushrooms.

Notes

  • Step ONE is perhaps the most important for a successful polenta taragna. If you keep the heat low, add the flour slowly, and stir quickly with a whisk (NOT a spoon, a WHISK), no lumps will form in the polenta.
  • You must stir the polenta taragna frequently, at least every 2-3 minutes. The polenta cooking this long will stick to the pot, especially to the bottom. This is fine. It will be even tastier!

Nutrition

Calories: 465kcalCarbohydrates: 0.02gProtein: 19gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 28gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 1570mgPotassium: 8mgSugar: 0.02gVitamin A: 781IUCalcium: 559mgIron: 0.01mg
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