Fonduta Valdostana

By John, 5 March, 2022
Region
Italy
Description

"Fonduta Valdostana"The Fonduta Valdostana is the Italian form of the French/Swiss Fondue, popular in the Valle d'Aosta on the southern slopes of the French Alps. The key differences are:

  • It's made with only Fontina Val d'Aosta, not a blend of cheeses.
  • It's thickened with egg yolk.
  • It's served in individual bowls or cups, not communally.
  • It's eaten with a spoon and bread, not with long forks and a variety of foods for dipping.

The recipe isn't difficult, but you must plan ahead both for the soaking step at the beginning, and then to be sure that it is hot and ready to serve at the right time for your diners. 

As for the fontina cheese, there are three broad classes of it. The red-coated Danish variety is not suitable for this dish; it has an insipid flavor and an objectionable consistency. The brown-wrapped mass-produced Italian variety and the related Fontal are acceptable and surely used in many households. For a special event (and certainly I you have the white truffle!) you want to get the artisanal Fontina Val d'Aosta from a good cheese market or Italian gourmet shop.

Yield
4 Servings
Preparation time
1 hour
Cooking time
15 minutes
Total time
1 hour, 15 minutes
Ingredients
12 oz Fontina Cheese (See the description above)
1 1⁄2 T Butter, cold
4 Egg Yolk
3⁄4 c Milk
1 pn White Pepper
1 White Truffle
8 sli Toasted Bread or Black Bread (cut into strips or bite-size cubes)
Instructions
  1. Remove the rind from the fontina cheese, cut it into thin slices, collect them in a bowl, pour in the milk indicated (or even more because the liquid must cover the cheese) and let it rest for an hour. 
  2. Without draining it too much, withdraw the fontina from the milk and transfer it to a double-boiler. Add the cold butter, cut into small pieces. 
  3. Place the container in a bain-marie and, always stirring, let the cheese melt. At first a compact mass is formed which will then slowly dissolve. 
  4. When the mixture has reached a creamy consistency, stir in one egg yolk at a time, stirring quickly, then leave it again in a bain-marie for 2-3 minutes so that the mixture acquires its typical velvety appearance. At this point decide if it needs to be thinned with a little milk from the soaking. 
  5. Season with a single pinch of pepper, if you have the truffle.  If you have no truffle, then you can be more generous with the pepper. Check if it needs any salt.
  6. Pour the fondue into warm bowls, shave the truffle directly onto the hot fondute, and serve immediately with the strips or cubes of toasted bread toasted.

     
Notes

You can use fresh-ground black pepper if you don't have white pepper, but it's a little more pungent and your fonduta will have black flecks in it. 

Source

https://www.cucchiaio.it/ricetta/ricetta-fonduta-valdostana/