Name: Fonduta Valdostana
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 155 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400 g Fontina (rind removed, thinly sliced); 250 ml Whole milk (enough to cover the cheese); 72 g Eggs (4 yolks); 30 g Butter; 250 g Italian bread (thick slices, toasted, for serving); 1 g Black pepper (a discreet grind); 2 g Salt (taste first; Fontina is already savory)

Two things make this a true fonduta: Fontina soaked in milk before it meets any heat, and egg yolks, not starch, to thicken it. The soak lets the cheese melt into cream instead of splitting, and the bowl over barely simmering water keeps the yolks from scrambling. Stir slowly and keep the water below from boiling; that patience is the recipe.

Make ahead Slice the Fontina and set it soaking in milk the night before, in the fridge; the fonduta itself is made just before serving.

Total: 2 hr 35 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Serves: 4

One step at a time, with what each step needs.

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Fonduta Valdostana

Total 2 hr 35 min · Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min · Serves 4

Method

Slice the Fontina thin, lay it in a bowl, and pour over the milk to cover. Rest 2 hours at cool room temperature (or overnight in the refrigerator).
Set a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water and melt the butter in it.
Add the soaked cheese with about half its milk. Stir slowly with a wooden spoon as it melts into a thick, stringy mass. Patience: the water below must never boil.
Whisk the yolks with the remaining soaking milk, then stir into the cheese. Keep stirring gently until the strings relax into a glossy, pourable cream that coats the spoon.
Season with a whisper of pepper and, only if needed, salt.
Pour into warmed bowls and serve immediately with toasted bread, boiled potatoes, or soft polenta.

Equipment

SaucepanKeep the water barely simmering and never let the bowl touch it.2 options
- Our pick
  All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel Saucepan with Lid, 3 qt
  For holding the gently simmering water under a separate, well-fitting bowl.
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- Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Saucepan with Cover, 3 qt
  Tri-ply stainless that heats evenly, at a friendlier price.
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Mixing BowlHeatproof glass or steel that sits snugly on the saucepan as a double boiler.
Wooden Spoon
Whisk

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Estimated per serving

Calories: 676 kcal
Protein: 35.5 g
Carbohydrates: 33.5 g
Fat: 43.8 g
Fiber: 1.4 g
Sodium: 1,310 mg

Per serving · 1/4 of the recipe Ingredient-based estimate; brands and preparation change the result. Includes the listed 250g bread and all soaking milk; optional potatoes and polenta are excluded.

Nutrition sources: CREA Centro di ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione · USDA Agricultural Research Service