Crunchy Polenta Squares with a Gooey Heart. Do you have leftover polenta in the fridge and some half-eaten cheese waiting to be finished?
Indeed, the traditional lunch of a typical winter Sunday with family often consisted of a mixed grill of meat, accompanied by homemade polenta that was then grilled.
And so the day after, grandma, with the sacred cry of “nothing goes to waste” came up with this recipe.
As a recipe for leftovers, the ingredients will already be cooked, and a quick pass in the oven will give them new life.
You know that feeling of satisfaction when, opening the fridge, you manage to transform a few leftovers into a mouthwatering dish? This recipe is born just like that: an act of love against food waste.
Often, we find ourselves with a portion of extra polenta and various half-cut pieces of cheese, perhaps a bit forgotten in the fresh drawer. Instead of seeing them as a “limit,” today we transform them into the absolute stars of the table.
The magic happens thanks to the consistency of the day-old polenta. Once cooled and firm, it lends itself perfectly to being cut into regular squares, maintaining its shape even during cooking.
It’s this geometric contrast that makes the dish so inviting: small golden chests that emerge from a sea of melted cheese.
To create this gourmet “fridge-cleaner,” no strict rules are needed. Those leftovers of fontina, taleggio, or gorgonzola that seem limited on their own, when combined, create an incredible complexity of flavors.
Simply arrange our squares in a baking dish, sprinkle them with diced cheese, and let the oven do the rest of the work.
The result is what you see in the photo: a crispy and browned gratin on the surface that hides a gooey and creamy heart.
It is a dish that smells of home, of revived traditions, and that smart cooking that wastes nothing but instead elevates every ingredient.
Bring it to the table still steaming, and you’ll see that no one will believe that this small masterpiece was born from what was “leftover” in the fridge.
Because in cooking, sometimes, true creativity lies in being able to give a second, delicious chance.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven, Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 1,166.41 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 154.67 (g) of which sugars 6.18 (g)
- Proteins 44.12 (g)
- Fat 42.88 (g) of which saturated 25.41 (g)of which unsaturated 13.41 (g)
- Fibers 12.72 (g)
- Sodium 1,474.78 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 320 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Crunchy Polenta Squares with a Gooey Heart
- as needed polenta (leftover: about 1.75 lbs or (freshly made): 2.5 cups of cornmeal and 6 cups of salted water. Or (ready block): 2 packs of 14-17.6 oz you find at the supermarket.)
- 12 oz cheeses (mix for example: leftover taleggio, a few slices of fontina and that piece of gorgonzola left over)
- 5.25 oz mozzarella
- 2 oz parmesan
- 1 oz butter
- as needed pepper
Tools
- Air Fryers
- Baking Dish
Steps
Crunchy Polenta Squares with a Gooey Heart
Cut the cold polenta (leftover, made and cooled, or purchased) into squares about 1 inch per side.
Take all the cheese scraps you have in the fridge (those cut in half or the small leftovers).
Cut everything into small cubes or, if they are hard cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino, grate them coarsely.
Mixing them together will create a unique blend of flavors.
Lightly butter a baking dish.
Arrange the polenta squares inside: you can make a single layer or slightly overlap them if you have a lot.
Distribute the cheese cubes evenly, trying to make them fall even into the spaces between one piece of polenta and another.
Add some small butter dollops on top and, if you like, a sprinkle of black pepper or a few sage leaves to perfume the whole.
A generous handful of grated cheese on top will guarantee a perfect crust.
Bake in a preheated oven at 392°F.
If your oven allows it, use the fan or grill function in the last few minutes.
Let it cook for about 10-15 minutes, until you see the cheese completely melted and the surface of the polenta turn golden and crispy, just like in your photo.
Serve the dish immediately, while the cheese is still gooey and the polenta has maintained its crispy exterior.
For air fryer cooking
Arrange the squares, add the cheeses between the spaces and on top, and finish with the Parmesan. A light touch of spray oil or butter dollops will help the browning.
Set at 374°F for about 8-10 minutes.
Only 2 minutes of preheating is needed.
Check halfway through cooking.If you see the cheese scorching too quickly, lower to 356°F. If you want it more “charred” like in your photo, blast at 392°F for the last 2 minutes.
Enjoy your meal.
Tips
No need to plan days in advance to enjoy this dish; the beauty of squares lies in their versatility.
Here’s how you can prepare the polenta base:
The smart recovery: It’s the ideal option for those who dislike waste. If you have leftover polenta from the previous dinner, the fridge will have made it perfectly firm and compact, ready to be cut into neat cubes that will hold up well during cooking.
Fresh preparation: If you crave this dish but have no leftovers, you can quickly prepare polenta (perhaps the instant kind to save time). Once ready, spread it on a tray leveling it to about 0.75 inches thick and let it cool completely: it will become the right consistency to be turned into squares.
The “time-saver” solution: In a hurry? You can easily find the ready-made polenta block in the supermarket fridge section. It’s a practical solution already of the ideal consistency to be sliced and gratinated with your favorite cheeses.
The Polenta Base (Choose one of the 3 options)
The perfect leftover: About 1.1-1.3 lbs of leftover polenta from the day before (already firm and cold from the fridge).
The express preparation: 1 cup of cornmeal (instant or bramata) to be cooked in about 4 cups of salted water, then left to cool spread on a baking sheet.
The ready solution: 1 block of ready-made polenta from 1.1 lbs (found vacuum-sealed or in the supermarket fridge section).
Curiosities
In the Oven: Use the grill function in the last 3 minutes, placing the baking sheet on the top rack.
In the Air Fryer: Spray with a light coat of oil or add a pinch of breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan on top of the cheeses; the hot air will create an irresistible crust.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Besides cheeses, what do you recommend?
This is a “base recipe”: if you have some leftover sautéed mushrooms in the fridge, some bacon cubes, or truffle oil, you can add them between the squares for an even more gourmet touch.
