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)
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.
