Daily Italian Recipe · Antipasto
Fontina Fonduta
Fontina fonduta is Valle d’Aosta’s silky antipasto: genuine Fontina DOP gently melted with milk, butter and egg yolks. Serve it warm with a little polenta for a wonderfully comforting Alpine starter.
Total time
275 minutes
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Moderate — gentle temperature control is essential
Origin
Aosta Valley
In Valle d’Aosta, Italy’s northwestern Alpine region, Fontina is central to the local cooking tradition. Made with whole raw cow’s milk, this mountain cheese gives fonduta its distinctive savoury depth.
Fonduta valdostana combines Fontina with milk, butter and egg yolks rather than the wine-based mixture associated with Swiss fondue. Gentle heat transforms these few ingredients into a smooth cream, traditionally enjoyed with bread or polenta.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
1. Slice and soak the Fontina
Cut the rindless Fontina into very thin slices, then small pieces. Place in a snug bowl with the milk, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, turning the cheese once so it moistens evenly. The preparation time includes this soak.
- 2
2. Prepare the bain-marie
Bring a shallow layer of water to a bare simmer in a saucepan. Set a heatproof bowl above it, ensuring its base does not touch the water. Keep the water gently steaming, never vigorously boiling.
- 3
3. Melt the cheese gently
Put the butter, soaked Fontina and all its milk into the heatproof bowl. Stir slowly and continuously with a wooden spoon for approximately 10–15 minutes, until no firm pieces remain. The mixture may still look stringy at this stage; do not increase the heat to force it smooth.
- 4
4. Cook the accompanying polenta
Meanwhile, bring the 400 ml water and 2 g salt to the boil in a separate saucepan. Pour in the instant polenta in a steady stream while whisking. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring, for the packet’s stated cooking time, usually 3–5 minutes. Cover and keep warm over the lowest heat.
- 5
5. Incorporate the yolks
Lightly beat the yolks in a small bowl. Stir in two spoonfuls of the warm cheese mixture, one at a time, then gradually stir the tempered yolks back into the fonduta over the bain-marie.
- 6
6. Finish to a silky cream
Continue stirring gently for approximately 3–5 minutes, until the fonduta becomes smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Check that it reaches 72°C with a kitchen thermometer, then remove from the heat immediately. Do not let it boil. Stir in the black pepper; the Fontina normally supplies enough salt.
- 7
7. Serve immediately
Divide the fonduta between four warmed small bowls. Serve each with a modest spoonful of hot polenta alongside, keeping the cheese cream the centrepiece. Enjoy straight away while the fonduta is fluid and glossy.
Chef's secret
The yolks do more than enrich the fonduta: they help bring the melted cheese and milk together. If the Fontina looks stringy before they go in, stay patient and keep the heat gentle rather than trying to boil the strings away.
Did you know?
Fontina DOP is made in Valle d’Aosta from whole raw cow’s milk. Its protected origin matters here: generic cheeses labelled “fontina” can behave and taste quite differently.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the milk soak or cutting the Fontina into large chunks, which makes gentle, even melting more difficult.
- Using direct high heat or letting the fonduta boil, which can separate the cheese and scramble the yolks.
- Adding salt automatically: Fontina is already savoury, so taste the finished fonduta before considering any extra.
Storage & reheating
Fonduta is best freshly made. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow airtight container within 2 hours and use within 24 hours; store the polenta separately. Reheat the fonduta gently over a bain-marie, stirring continuously and adding 10–20 ml milk if needed. Bring it to 74°C without boiling, then serve immediately; some loss of smoothness is possible. Reheat only once. Avoid freezing.
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FAQ
Can I use another cheese instead of Fontina DOP?
Other cheeses can make a pleasant cheese cream, but Fontina DOP from Valle d’Aosta is the defining ingredient of authentic fonduta valdostana.
Should I add wine, garlic or cornflour?
Not for this traditional version. Milk, butter and egg yolks accompany the Fontina; careful heating provides the texture without wine, garlic or starch thickeners.
Can I prepare it ahead?
Slice and soak the Fontina in milk in the refrigerator the night before. Finish melting it and adding the yolks just before serving for the best texture.