Home

Timballo di polenta e cotechino

17/11/2023

The timballo of polenta and cotechino is a hearty and traditional dish, particularly during the winter holidays in Italy. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

  • 300 g of instant polenta
  • 1 cotechino (about 500-700 g)
  • 50 g of butter
  • 100 g of grated cheese (parmesan or pecorino)
  • Salt, to taste
  • Water, as needed (for the polenta)
  • 2 bay leaves (optional, for cooking the cotechino)

Preparation

  1. Start by preparing the cotechino: if you have purchased a precooked cotechino, it only requires about 20-30 minutes of heating in boiling water. If, however, you have a raw cotechino, you will need to cook it for about 2 hours in boiling water with a couple of bay leaves.

  2. For the polenta, bring the amount of water indicated on the package of instant polenta to a boil, considering the number of servings you wish to prepare. Add salt, and pour in the polenta in a steady stream, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.

  3. Cook the polenta for the time indicated on the package, then remove it from the heat and add half of the butter and half of the grated cheese, mixing well until they are completely incorporated.

  4. Slice the cooked cotechino into half-centimeter disks.

  5. Take a mold or a baking dish that can be placed in the oven and grease it with some of the remaining butter. Pour a first layer of polenta, then arrange some slices of cotechino on top, and sprinkle with a little grated cheese.

  6. Continue alternating layers of polenta and cotechino, ending with a layer of polenta and a sprinkle of grated cheese.

  7. Dot the rest of the butter in flakes on the surface.

  8. Bake the timballo at 200 °C for about 20 minutes or until the surface appears golden and crispy.

  9. Remove from the oven and let the timballo of polenta and cotechino rest for a few minutes before serving.

Curiosity

This dish is an example of how typical ingredients of Italian cuisine can be combined in a unique and substantial plate. Polenta and cotechino are both dishes that recall the flavors of tradition, and the union of the two creates a pleasant contrast of textures and flavors.