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Cotoletta alla Valdostana — Veal Chop Stuffed with Fontina and Ham
Valle d'Aosta — the cotoletta alla valdostana is a mid-20th century formalization of the stuffed and fried veal chop tradition, using specifically Valdostano ingredients (Fontina DOP, local prosciutto or speck) to create a regional version of the broader cordon bleu/cotoletta tradition.
Cotoletta alla valdostana is the Valdostano interpretation of the Milanese breaded chop — a bone-in veal chop butterflied and filled with Fontina d'Aosta DOP and a thin slice of Prosciutto di San Daniele or Speck, then closed, pressed to seal, crumbed, and fried in clarified butter until the exterior is golden and the Fontina inside has melted to a pool. When the chop is cut, the Fontina flows from the centre. The preparation is a refined version of the 'cordon bleu' principle, entirely rebuilt around Valdostano ingredients. It is found in every trattoria in Aosta and in the ski resort restaurants of the valley.
Risotto alla Valdostana — Risotto with Fontina and White Truffle
Valle d'Aosta — the risotto alla valdostana is the Italian formal restaurant version of the Fontina-in-everything Valdostana tradition. The white truffle version is associated specifically with the autumn season when Piedmont truffles reach the Aosta market.
Risotto alla valdostana is the Aosta valley's interpretation of the Italian risotto — made with Carnaroli rice, cooked in a good meat broth, and finished with a generous quantity of Fontina d'Aosta DOP stirred in at the mantecatura stage, which melts through the rice to create a preparation of extraordinary richness and string. In the most luxurious version (autumn, October-November), shaved white truffle from the Piedmont side of the valley is added at the table. The Fontina mantecatura distinguishes this risotto from all others — the cheese's mountain-herb character and its exceptional melting quality produce a consistency that butter alone cannot approach.