Equipment
Ingredients
Polenta Base
- 500 ml water
- 500 ml whole milk
- 150 g quick-cooking polenta
- 45 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 50 g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 5 g kosher salt
Topping and Eggs
- 15 ml olive oil
- 200 g fresh spinach, washed and dried
- 100 g fontina cheese, shredded
- 6 large eggs
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- 5 g fresh chives, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 397 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 693 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 235 mg
- Potassium
- 428 mg
- Calcium
- 352 mg
- Iron
- 3.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 57 mg
- Phosphorus
- 328 mg
- Zinc
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 395 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 165 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.23 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.59 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 146 mcg
- Water
- 238 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or oil.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh spinach and cook, tossing frequently, until just wilted. Remove from heat and press out any excess liquid.
In a medium saucepan, combine the water and whole milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
Slowly pour the quick-cooking polenta into the boiling liquid in a steady stream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce the heat to low.
Cook the polenta, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until it becomes thick and creamy.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the cubed unsalted butter, grated Parmesan cheese, and kosher salt until the butter is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.
Pour the hot, creamy polenta into the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer with a spatula. Scatter the wilted spinach and shredded Fontina cheese evenly over the top.
Using the back of a spoon, make six shallow indentations or wells in the polenta mixture, spaced evenly apart. Carefully crack one egg into each well.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the egg whites are just set but the yolks remain soft and runny. The internal temperature of the eggs should reach 71°C/160°F for food safety.
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and finely chopped chives before serving warm.
Chef's Notes
- For an extra layer of savory depth, substitute the water in the polenta base with a high-quality vegetable or chicken stock.
- This recipe is highly adaptable. Consider folding cooked bacon, crumbled Italian sausage, or roasted red peppers into the polenta before baking.
- Vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women or the elderly, should bake the eggs until the yolks are completely firm and reach an internal temperature of 71 degrees Celsius, or utilize pasteurized shell eggs.
- If you are preparing this for a crowd ahead of time, you can make the polenta base, spread it in the dish, and refrigerate it overnight. Add an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time the next morning before cracking the eggs on top.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The polenta will firm up significantly when chilled.
Reheating: Microwave gently on medium power, or cover with aluminum foil and warm in a 150C/300F oven until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Eggs are overcooked with hard yolks
Cause: Oven temperatures vary, or the casserole was left in the oven too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the casserole will still taste delicious
Prevention: Begin checking the eggs at the 12-minute mark and remove the dish as soon as the whites turn completely opaque
Polenta is lumpy
Cause: Polenta was added too quickly to the boiling liquid without sufficient whisking
Fix: Vigorously whisk the cooked polenta off the heat, or pass it through a fine-mesh sieve before adding the butter and cheese
Prevention: Pour the polenta in a very slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously
Casserole is watery
Cause: Spinach was not properly drained after sautéing
Fix: Carefully dab the surface of the baked casserole with a clean paper towel to absorb excess moisture
Prevention: Press the cooked spinach firmly in a colander or squeeze it lightly to remove excess moisture before adding to the casserole
Cultural Context
Polenta has deep roots in Northern Italy, where it historically served as a foundational, nourishing staple for peasants and farmers. Over time, baked polenta dishes have evolved into comforting, rustic centerpieces for family gatherings and festive brunches, brilliantly marrying the humble cornmeal with rich alpine cheeses and fresh eggs.
