Crisp Polenta Triangles

Recipes by Clotilde Dusoulier, drawn from the book Chocolate & Zucchini

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 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

Directions

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.