Name: Polenta macafana
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 250 g Storo yellow maize flour (traditional polenta flour, not instant); 375 g Chicory (cleaned weight); 1,150 ml Water (Cooking water: 1000 ml. Working reserve: 150 ml, hot; add only as needed.); 200 g Spressa delle Giudicarie (Fresh Spressa: 50 g, small cubes. Aged Spressa: 150 g, small cubes.); 75 g Trentingrana (finely grated); 50 g Butter; 37.5 g Onion (peeled, finely sliced); 6 g Fine salt; 0.5 g Black pepper (freshly ground)

Have the cheeses diced before the polenta finishes; stir them in only once the maize is tender. For larger quantities use additional pots or pans, keeping the piece sizes and cooking endpoints.

Make ahead Wash the greens and grate and dice the cheeses ahead; cook and finish the polenta close to serving.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium

Polenta macafana

Prep 20 min · Cook 1 hr · Serves 4 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

4 servings

Ingredients

250 g2 cups
Storo yellow maize flourtraditional polenta flour, not instanttraditional polenta flour, not instant
375 g13 oz
Chicorycleaned weightcleaned weight
1,150 ml4¾ cups
WaterCooking water: 1000 ml. Working reserve: 150 ml, hot; add only as needed.Cooking water: 4¼ cups. Working reserve: ⅔ cup, hot; add only as needed.
200 g7 oz
Spressa delle GiudicarieFresh Spressa: 50 g, small cubes. Aged Spressa: 150 g, small cubes.Fresh Spressa: 1¾ oz, small cubes. Aged Spressa: 5½ oz, small cubes.
6 g1 tsp
Fine salt

To finish

75 g2¾ oz
Trentingranafinely gratedfinely grated
50 g1¾ oz
Butter
37.5 g1¼ oz
Onionpeeled, finely slicedpeeled, finely sliced
0.5 g¼ tsp
Black pepperfreshly groundfreshly ground

Equipment

Heavy pot of at least 4 liters
Whisk, sturdy wooden spoon and small frying pan
Warm serving dish

Method

Wash the chicory well and cut it into short strips. Dice both Spressa cheeses. Set out the grated Trentingrana and finely sliced onion.Wash the chicory well and cut it into short strips. Dice both Spressa cheeses. Set out the grated Trentingrana and finely sliced onion.
Bring the initial water and salt to a boil in a heavy pot; allow about 15 minutes. Keep the reserve water hot separately. Add the chicory and simmer for 5 minutes.Bring the initial water and salt to a boil in a heavy pot; allow about 15 minutes. Keep the reserve water hot separately. Add the chicory and simmer for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle in the maize flour while whisking. Lower the heat and cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring frequently to scrape the base and corners. Add hot reserve water a little at a time only if the polenta becomes too stiff to stir. Continue until the grains are tender, allowing more time if necessary.Sprinkle in the maize flour while whisking. Lower the heat and cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring frequently to scrape the base and corners. Add hot reserve water a little at a time only if the polenta becomes too stiff to stir. Continue until the grains are tender, allowing more time if necessary.
Meanwhile melt the butter in a small pan. Add the onion and cook gently for about 15 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden rather than scorched. Keep warm.Meanwhile melt the butter in a small pan. Add the onion and cook gently for about 15 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden rather than scorched. Keep warm.
Stir both Spressa cheeses into the tender polenta and cook for another 10 minutes, until melted. Spoon into a warm serving dish in loose mounds, layering with the Trentingrana and pepper. Pour over the hot onion butter and serve immediately.Stir both Spressa cheeses into the tender polenta and cook for another 10 minutes, until melted. Spoon into a warm serving dish in loose mounds, layering with the Trentingrana and pepper. Pour over the hot onion butter and serve immediately.