An Alpine dinner from the Aosta Valley

Antipasto

Fontina and bresaola

The region’s cheese and air-dried beef · 10 minutes

You’ll need

• 10 oz Fontina cheese (300 g)
• 5 oz bresaola (150 g)
• 1 loaf rye bread
• 1 jar honey

How to make it

1. Slice the cheese thinly.
2. Arrange the cheese, bresaola and bread on a board.
3. Serve with honey.

Wine: Petite Arvine, a white

Primo

Polenta concia

Cheesy polenta · 25 minutes

You’ll need

• 7 oz Fontina cheese (200 g)
• 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano (50 g)
• 5½ tbsp butter (80 g)
• 9 oz instant polenta (250 g)

How to make it

1. Bring 4 cups (1 liter) of salted water to a boil and whisk in the polenta.
2. Cook as directed on the package, stirring.
3. Stir in the cubed Fontina and half the butter.
4. Brown the rest of the butter and pour it over. Sprinkle with Parmigiano.

Wine: Torrette, a red

Secondo

Carbonade

Beef stew in red wine · 2½ hours

You’ll need

• 2¼ lb beef stew meat (1 kg)
• 2 onions
• 3½ tbsp butter (50 g)
• 2 cups red wine (500 ml)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

How to make it

1. Cube the meat, roll in flour and brown in butter.
2. Add the sliced onions and soften them.
3. Add the wine and spices. Braise covered for about 2 hours, until tender.
4. Serve with polenta or mashed potatoes.

Wine: Torrette or Fumin, a red

Dolce

Tegole

Thin, crisp almond cookies · 40 minutes

You’ll need

• 2 egg whites
• 4 tbsp butter (60 g)
• 1 cup almond flour (100 g)
• ½ cup sugar (100 g)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour (30 g)

How to make it

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Mix the egg whites, sugar, almond flour, flour and melted butter.
3. Drop small spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and spread them into thin circles.
4. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the edges brown. Drape the warm cookies over a rolling pin to curve them.

Wine: Chambave Moscato, sweet

Shopping list

Produce

• 2 onions

Meat and deli

• 5 oz bresaola (150 g)
• 2¼ lb beef stew meat (1 kg)

Cheese and dairy

• 10 oz Fontina cheese (300 g)
• 7 oz Fontina cheese (200 g)
• 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano (50 g)
• 5½ tbsp butter (80 g)
• 3½ tbsp butter (50 g)
• 2 egg whites
• 4 tbsp butter (60 g)

Bakery

• 1 loaf rye bread

Pantry

• 1 jar honey
• 9 oz instant polenta (250 g)
• 2 cups red wine (500 ml)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup almond flour (100 g)
• ½ cup sugar (100 g)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour (30 g)

Wine

• Petite Arvine (antipasto)
• Torrette (primo)
• Torrette or Fumin (secondo)
• Chambave Moscato (dolce)

Wines from the Aosta Valley are rare outside Italy. Ask your wine shop for a light Alpine red or a crisp mountain white instead.