Polenta Taragna

Polenta taragna is a traditional dish of the Alpine cuisine, particularly from Valtellina and the Alpine regions of Lombardy and Piedmont, but it’s also popular in some areas of Trentino and Switzerland. It’s a rich variation of the classic polenta, enhanced with cheese and butter. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 250 g of buckwheat flour
• 250 g of cornmeal for polenta
• 150 g of butter
• 200 g of Bitto cheese or Formai de Mut DOP (or another semi-cooked Alpine cheese)
• 200 g of Casera DOP cheese (or another local hard cheese)
• Salt to taste
• Water (approximately 4 times the volume of the flours)

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. When the water is boiling, sprinkle in the mixed flours of corn and buckwheat, taking care not to form lumps, using a whisk or a polenta stick.
3. Stir vigorously and continuously with a wooden spoon for at least 40-45 minutes. The polenta will thicken as it cooks.
4. Ten minutes before the end of cooking, incorporate the butter and the cheeses cut into small cubes, continue stirring so that the cheeses completely melt into the polenta, creating a creamy and homogenous texture.
5. Once ready, taragna can be served immediately, while still soft, directly in a deep plate.

A tip I’d like to give you: for an extra touch, you can serve polenta taragna with a side of sautéed savoy cabbage or sautéed porcini mushrooms.

Here’s a curious fact for you: the name “taragna” comes from the dialect term “tarare,” which means to stir vigorously, an action necessary for the preparation of this dish. In the past, polenta was often the sole dish of peasant families, thanks to its ability to satisfy hunger and provide energy, and the taragna version was even more substantial due to the presence of cheeses.