Basilicata
A thick porridge of chestnut flour cooked in water with a pinch of salt until smooth and dense, served with a generous spoonful of buffalo ricotta and a drizzle of Basilicata wildflower honey. A preparation of the Lucano mountain forests during the chestnut season — October–December — where chestnut flour is ground from freshly dried chestnuts and the porridge is made the same day.
Earthy, sweet and slightly bitter from the chestnut flour; ricotta provides cool, milky creaminess; honey drizzle gives floral sweetness; the contrast of hot-dense and cool-creamy makes every bite different — mountain food of extraordinary simplicity
{"Chestnut flour must be freshly ground or very recently milled — old chestnut flour develops bitterness and the porridge tastes flat","Ratio: 1 part chestnut flour to 4 parts water — add flour gradually while stirring to avoid lumps","Cook 20–25 minutes at low heat, stirring constantly — chestnut starch scorches easily and must be continuously moved","The texture should be very thick — a spoon should stand in it; thin polenta di castagne lacks the body that contrasts with the soft ricotta","Season with salt only — chestnut flour has a natural sweetness that is defined by the contrast of honey and ricotta, not by sugar in the polenta"}
{"A branch of rosemary stirred through the cooking porridge for the last 5 minutes is removed before serving — it gives a faint herbal perfume","The honey should be local Basilicata wildflower honey — its floral complexity is the last aromatic layer","The combination of chestnut sweetness, ricotta creaminess and honey floral sweetness makes this a preparation that works as a dessert, breakfast or savoury first course"}
{"Old chestnut flour — the bitterness ruins the dish; freshness is paramount","Adding flour all at once — it clumps irreversibly; always add in a stream while stirring","Too thin a consistency — the porridge must be dense enough to hold the ricotta on top without it sinking"}
La Cucina di Basilicata — Tradizioni Lucane