🫕 Cro̲pa: the Rich Polenta of Val d’Arigna | Typical Valtellinese Recipe
The Cropa is a substantial and delicious polenta, typical of the Val d’Arigna (Valtellina), less known but definitely richer compared to the famous polenta taragna. Made with potatoes, buckwheat flour, and cream, enriched with lean Valtellinese cheese, it is a mountain dish to be enjoyed slowly, perhaps after a long walk in the alpine woods 🚶♂️⛰️🧀.
It’s not a light recipe, but like all preparations of traditional Valtellinese cuisine, it’s a pleasure to indulge in from time to time, to pamper the palate and rediscover ancient flavors.
📝 Ingredients for 4 people:
- 400 g of potatoes
- 600 g of buckwheat flour
- 100 g of yellow flour
- 1 liter of fresh cream
- 400 g of lean Valtellinese cheese (young)
- Salt to taste
👩🍳 Preparation:
👉 1. Prepare the potatoes:
- Boil the potatoes in salted water.
- Once cooked, peel and mash them with a potato masher.
👉 2. Cook the base:
- In a cauldron (preferably made of copper), bring the cream to a boil.
- Add the mashed potatoes.
- Sprinkle in the buckwheat flour and a handful of yellow flour, stirring continuously to avoid the formation of lumps.
Start with a whisk, then continue with the traditional "tarai" (wooden ladle for polenta).
- Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring constantly.
👉 3. Final phase:
- At the end of cooking, add the Valtellinese cheese cut into cubes.
- Continue stirring for another 5 minutes, until the cheese melts and everything is well mixed.
👉 4. Serving:
- Turn the cro̲pa out onto a "basla" (wooden cutting board) just like traditional polenta, and serve it hot.
📚 Recipe from the tradition of Val d’Arigna (SO)
📷 The image of the dishes is purely indicative and does not necessarily correspond exactly to the recipe.
