Deep-fried cheese-filled polenta balls are crisp, golden orbs with a molten cheese centre and a light, creamy middle. Homemade polenta is chilled, shaped around cubes of Fontina, rolled in bread crumbs, and fried until the crust shatters at a bite. Twelve balls of pure, indulgent party food.
Polenta is a wonderful grain dish to become familiar with because it is so quick to make, and it goes well with most vegetables and sauces. This is a sumptuous appetizer that is richly varied in texture, with a crispy coating on the outside, light and moist polenta within, and a creamy center of melted cheese.
MAKES 12 BALLS (4 TO 6 SERVINGS)
1½ cups water
½ cup cornmeal
1 egg, beaten
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unbleached white flour
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ounces semisoft cheese (such as Italian Fontina, Muenster, or Monterey Jack)
¾ cup Bread Crumbs
Oil for frying
- To make the polenta: Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan, then very slowly add the cornmeal, beating constantly with a wire whisk. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until the polenta tears away from the sides of the pan, about 10 minutes. Pour onto a plate and chill until cold, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Put the polenta in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Add the egg, Parmesan cheese, flour, and salt, and mix well. May be prepared to this point up to 24 hours in advance, covered, and chilled.
- Cut the cheese into 12 cubes, about ½-inch each. Form the polenta mixture into balls about 1½ inches in diameter and insert a cube of cheese into the center, making sure to cover the cheese completely. This will be messy but manageable. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs to coat completely. You can let them sit at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before cooking.
- Pour enough oil into a medium saucepan to reach a depth of 2 inches and heat until it is very hot but not smoking. (The best way to test if the oil is hot enough is to drop in a bread crumb; it should immediately rise to the top.) Fry 4 or 5 balls at a time, turning occasionally to brown all over. It should take about 3 to 4 minutes to brown them. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.
Pro Tips
- Whisk the polenta constantly as it cooks — stopping lets it catch and lump, and lumpy polenta won't shape into smooth balls.
- Chill the polenta until completely cold before shaping. Warm polenta sticks to everything and the cheese cubes won't seal inside properly.
- Cover the cheese completely when you form each ball — any exposed cheese melts straight out into the frying oil and makes a mess of both.
- Drop a bread crumb in the oil to test the temperature as the recipe suggests; it should rise instantly, which means the oil is ready for a proper crisp crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake these instead of frying?
Yes — bake at 425°F on a greased sheet for about twenty minutes, turning once. The crust is lighter than fried but still genuinely good.
What cheese works best inside?
Italian Fontina melts into a proper stretchy centre. Muenster and Monterey Jack are excellent melters if you can't find Fontina.
Can I make them ahead?
Shape and bread the balls up to a day ahead and refrigerate. Fry straight from the fridge, adding a minute to the frying time.
How do I keep the oil temperature steady?
Fry four or five balls at a time — crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and you get greasy, pale balls instead of crisp golden ones.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Put the polenta in a medium bowl and mash with a fork.
- Add the egg, Parmesan cheese, flour, and salt, and mix well. May be prepared to this point up to 24 hours in advance, covered, and chilled.
- Cut the cheese into 12 cubes, about ½-inch each.
- Form the polenta mixture into balls about 1½ inches in diameter and insert a cube of cheese into the center, making sure to cover the cheese completely. This will be messy but manageable.
- Roll the balls in the bread crumbs to coat completely. You can let them sit at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before cooking.
- Pour enough oil into a medium saucepan to reach a depth of 2 inches and heat until it is very hot but not smoking. (The best way to test if the oil is hot enough is to drop in a bread crumb; it should immediately rise to the top.)
- Fry 4 or 5 balls at a time, turning occasionally to brown all over. It should take about 3 to 4 minutes to brown them.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Serve immediately.
