Val Taleggio, Bergamo Alps, Lombardia
Taleggio DOP — the great washed-rind cheese of the Val Taleggio in the Bergamo Alps — melted in a terracotta tegame (low pan) with a small amount of butter until it becomes a liquid, slightly elastic, extraordinarily fragrant pool of copper-gold dairy. Poured over a slice of white polenta and topped with sautéed fresh porcini mushrooms, it is the quintessential Lombard autumn combination. The cheese's washed-rind character (bloomy, slightly tangy, intensely aromatic) dominates without overpowering when balanced against the mild polenta and earthy mushroom.
Copper-gold molten Taleggio pooling over mild white polenta with earthy porcini — a Lombard autumn combination where one washed-rind cheese with extraordinary aroma makes the entire dish
{"Taleggio at room temperature before cooking — cold Taleggio seizes rather than melting smoothly","Rind removed before melting (the rind is edible but its wax coating turns bitter at cooking temperatures)","Very low heat in a heavy terracotta or non-stick tegame; add a tablespoon of butter to prevent sticking","Stir constantly as it melts — Taleggio can become stringy and lumpy if not stirred throughout","Pour over white polenta immediately — the cheese sets within 60 seconds"}
{"A few drops of truffle oil on the finished plate unifies the porcini and Taleggio","The same melted Taleggio technique works on pasta — pour directly over freshly cooked pappardelle","DOP Taleggio from Val Taleggio small-scale producers is markedly more complex than commercial versions"}
{"High heat — Taleggio's fat separates and the texture becomes oily","Rind left on — it contributes a waxy bitterness that dominates","Using yellow polenta — the cornstarch sweetness competes with the aromatic cheese"}
La Cucina Bergamasca — Emilia Valli