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1
Bring 1.5 litres of salted water to a full rolling boil in a copper paiolo or heavy straight-sided pot over medium-high heat. Combine the maize flour and buckwheat flour in a bowl and mix briefly to distribute evenly. Begin pouring the blended flours into the boiling water in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly with the other hand to prevent any lump forming at the point of contact. Continue until all the flour is incorporated. The mixture will thicken almost immediately and turn a grey-green colour.
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2
Reduce the heat to medium. Switch from a whisk to a long wooden spoon or traditional tarello. Stir every two to three minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot, for a minimum of 45 minutes and up to 60 minutes. Do not rush this stage: this is where the dish lives or dies — buckwheat polenta requires the full cooking time to shed its raw, gritty character and develop the sticky, nutty richness that defines Taragna. A slight catch on the bottom of the pot (la maroña) is not a fault; it is flavour. The polenta is ready when it pulls cleanly from the sides of the pot, holds its shape momentarily when a spoonful is lifted and dropped, and smells of toasted grain.
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3
With the pot still over the heat, add the cubed cheese all at once. Stir vigorously for 3–5 minutes. The cheese will melt into the polenta but should retain visible, uneven strings rather than dissolving completely to a smooth paste. Adding cheese at this late stage — not earlier — prevents it from scorching on the bottom.
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4
Remove the pot from the heat. Add the unsalted butter in one piece. Stir briefly — four or five turns — so that the butter is folded in but not fully emulsified. Serve immediately, directly from the paiolo into warmed bowls. If a crusted bottom has formed, scrape it free and present it alongside as the cook's portion.