Polenta—the Italian cornmeal dish that bears more than a passing resemblance to grits—is made even more delicious here with a combination of three different kinds of cheese, including plenty of tangy blue Gorgonzola. This recipe originally appears in Anna Stockwell’s For the Table: Easy, Adaptable, Crowd-Pleasing Recipes.
Serves up to 8
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups coarse polenta
1 cup Half and half or whole milk
2 oz good Parmesan, grated (about 3/4 cup)
4 oz Gorgonzola dolce, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
4 oz Fontina cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
In a large pot, bring 5 cups lightly salted water to a boil. Add polenta, and whisk to combine. Lower heat to the lowest setting and cook, stirring often, until all the water has absorbed and the polenta is very thick, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in milk and cook, stirring often, until thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and season with pepper.
Transfer to a 1.5- to 2-quart baking or gratin dish and smooth top. Cool until cool enough to stick a finger into, then scatter the Gorgonzola and Fontina pieces over top. Press cheese into the polenta with your fingers. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
Remove polenta from fridge and let sit at room temperature while oven is heating.
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in the top position. Bake, uncovered, until bubbling and golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
Note: The seasoned cooking water and Parmesan add plenty of salt to the polenta, but be sure to give it a taste test before transferring it to the baking dish. Add a few pinches of salt, if needed.