Crisp Polenta Triangles

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 15 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup polenta
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon herbes de provence
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 cup beaufort cheese

Recipe

• 1 heat the milk and 2 cups water in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. add the salt and pepper. just before the liquids start to simmer, sprinkle the polenta into the pot slowly while stirring with a whisk. turn the heat to low and keep whisking the mixture, without letting it boil, until it thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan. this will take about 5 minutes if you use quick cooking, 30 minutes if yo use stone ground - in the latter case, after the first 5 minutes, you don't need to whisk it constantly, just regularly, to keep it from burning. (be careful: as the polenta cooks, the mixture will form burping bubbles that could erupt on your hands).
• 2 remove from heat, stir in the oil, herbes de provence, walnuts, and half the cheese (cover the other half and reserve in the fridge for the topping). grease a large rectangular baking dish with 1 teaspoon oil and pour in the polenta mixture, spreading it with a spatula. press plastic wrap directly on the polenta, and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.
• 3 preheat the oven to 400°f line a baking sheet with foil and grease it with 1 teaspoon oil. use a sharp knife to cut the polenta into squares about 2 by 2 inches (wipe the knife blade when it gets too coated with polenta), and cut each square diagonally to form triangles. use a spatula- preferably a thin and narrow one- to transfer the triangles onto the baking sheet, leaving just a little space between them. sprinkle with the reserved cheese- don't worry if some of the cheese lands on the foil.
• 4 bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the sides of the triangles get lightly crusty. switch to broiler setting and broil for 5 minutes, until golden, keeping an eye on them. let cool for a minute, and use the spatula to loosen and lift the triangles from the foil. serve immediately, or at room temperature.