Valle d'Aosta and the broader Alpine arc — polenta concia with Fontina is most closely identified with the Aosta valley and the Biella Alps. The preparation appears in 19th-century Alpine cookbooks as the festive polenta, distinguished from plain polenta by the addition of mountain cheese.
Polenta concia (or polenta grassa) is the definitive polenta preparation of the Alpine arc — coarse polenta cooked until very thick, then layered in a baking dish with generous amounts of Fontina d'Aosta DOP and beaten with cold butter until the cheese melts through and the polenta becomes almost unrecognisably rich, golden, and stringy. In Valle d'Aosta, Fontina is the mandatory cheese — its mountain-herb flavour and extraordinary melting quality make concia a preparation of its own category, completely different from plain polenta. The dish is served directly from the pot, scooped into bowls, the cheese pulling in long strands.
Polenta concia valdostana is not subtle — it is the taste of Alpine winter concentrated into a bowl. The Fontina pulls in long, elastic strings from the spoon; the butter gives a silkiness and richness that plain polenta cannot suggest; the coarse cornmeal provides texture against the melting cheese. Eaten hot from the pot in the Alpine cold, it is one of the most satisfying preparations in Italian cooking.
Make coarse polenta (polenta bramata) the traditional way: 1 litre of salted water to 250g coarse polenta. Add polenta slowly to boiling water while whisking, then stir with a wooden spoon for 40-45 minutes over low heat — the polenta must be very thick, pulling away from the sides of the pot. Off heat, beat in 150g cold butter cut into cubes and 200g Fontina d'Aosta DOP, cubed. Stir vigorously until the cheese and butter are completely incorporated and the polenta is stringy with melted Fontina. Some versions layer polenta and Fontina in a baking dish and finish under the grill for a golden crust.
Fontina d'Aosta DOP from summer alpine pastures (alpeggio) is the benchmark ingredient — the milk from cows grazing on mountain herbs between June and September produces Fontina with a deeper flavour and more complex melt. Polenta concia reheated in a pan with a little butter and a splash of milk becomes a different, even richer preparation. The baked version (finished under grill) produces a golden, slightly crisp surface that contrasts with the rich interior.
Using Fontina that is not true Fontina d'Aosta DOP — cheaper melting cheeses (fontina padana, or processed 'fontina') have none of the mountain herb flavour and melt differently. Polenta too thin — concia polenta must be very thick; thin polenta collapses under the butter and cheese. Adding cheese before removing from heat — partially cooking the cheese changes the melt character.
Slow Food Editore, Valle d'Aosta in Cucina; Giorgio Locatelli, Made in Italy