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Vegetarian, South and mountains

Corsican chestnut polenta with brocciu and salad

Pulenda with brocciu is a Corsican chestnut flour polenta, served with crumbled brocciu cheese and a mint green salad. It serves 4, takes 40 minutes, is easy to make, and costs about €3.00 per person. The key to success is stirring the polenta nonstop so it stays smooth.

Tonight we're off to Corsica with a chestnut pulenda and fresh brocciu, served with a green salad.

Corsican chestnut polenta with brocciu and salad
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
450 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Chestnut flour gives this pulenda a mild, slightly sweet flavor, quite different from classic cornmeal polenta. Once it cools, its firm texture lets you cut it into clean slices, almost like a savory cake. Fresh brocciu crumbled on top adds softness and a touch of brightness that balances the rustic chestnut base.

This is a cold season dish, perfect for a meatless weeknight dinner, easy enough for two or a whole family if everyone likes simple flavors. The mint salad adds lightness and offers a change from the usual green side, a small detail that gives the plate its Corsican character.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Chestnut flouroften in the pantry 250 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Vinaigrette 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Brocciu or fresh sheep's milk cheese 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green salad 1
  • Mint 4 sprigs

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Bring a liter and a half of salted water to a boil. 8 min

    Salt generously, chestnut flour is naturally sweet.

  2. Pour in the flour in a steady stream while whisking, then stir with a wooden spoon over low heat. 20 min

    The polenta is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the pot.

  3. Pour the pulenda into a dish and let it cool to lukewarm.

    Smooth the top with a wet spoon for an even surface.

  4. Cut it into portions, top with crumbled brocciu and a drizzle of olive oil.

    Break up the brocciu with a fork, don't mash it.

  5. Serve with the dressed salad and a few mint leaves.

    Mint is the classic pairing for brocciu in Corsica.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pour the flour in a thin, steady stream, not all at once, so it blends without forming clumps in the hot water.
  • Use a heavy bottomed pot, chestnut flour scorches faster than cornmeal, especially toward the end of cooking.
  • Let the pulenda cool fully before slicing, if it's still warm it crumbles and won't hold clean portions.

The variations

  • If you can't find brocciu, fresh sheep's milk cheese or drained fromage blanc work just as well.
  • For extra flavor, drizzle a little chestnut honey over the warm pulenda before adding the cheese.
  • For kids, serve the pulenda on its own topped with melted grated cheese, skipping the mint salad.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of light Corsican red wine
  • Fresh figs for dessert
  • Chilled lemon water

Storage

Cooked pulenda keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat it in a skillet with a little oil to bring back some crispness. Always add the brocciu fresh, right before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the pulenda ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook it the day before and let it cool in its dish. Keep it in the fridge and add the fresh brocciu only right before serving.

Why does chestnut polenta stick more than cornmeal polenta?

Chestnut flour is finer and naturally oilier, so it catches on the bottom of the pot quickly. That's why you need to stir nonstop for the first few minutes.

Can you substitute the chestnut flour?

No, it's what gives pulenda its identity. Cornmeal would give you a regular polenta, but you'd lose the sweet, distinctive flavor of this Corsican dish.

Can pulenda be frozen?

The cooked polenta freezes well on its own, without the brocciu or salad. Thaw it in the fridge, then reheat it in a skillet before adding the fresh cheese.

How long does it take to make a Corsican chestnut polenta with brocciu and salad?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Corsican chestnut polenta with brocciu and salad?

About 450 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Corsican chestnut polenta with brocciu and salad cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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