Ingredients for 4 people

  • For the Polenta:
  • 1I water​
  • 10g sea salt flakes (12g of table salt)​
  • 250g of polenta​
  • 6g extra virgin olive oil​
  • For the ragù:​
  • 1 carrot​
  • 1 small onion​
  • 1 stick celery ​
  • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil​
  • 200g minced beef​
  • 1 glass white wine​
  • 400ml beef stock​
  • 10g sea salt flakes (12 of table salt)​
  • For thetopping:​
  • 250g fresh spinach​
  • To garnish:​
  • 50g Parmigiano Reggiano flakes​
  • Generous drizzle De Nigris Platinum Label Balsamic Vinegar

For the recipe

Make the polenta: boil the water , then add  salt, polenta and olive oil. Keep stirring  over a medium-low heat for about 30 to 40 minutes (until water is absorbed and polenta is thick) Pour cooked polenta into a lined, medium size, rectangular oven tray and leave to cool down to room temperature, before refrigerating for at least an hour .
In the meantime prepare the ragu: chop the veg finely and fry in olive oil in  a pan  over a medium heat  until softened (c. four to six mins), then add the minced beef.
Once the meat is seared, add white wine, use to deglaze bottom of pan, and once evaporated, add the stock, season and cook over a low heat  for 1 hour minimum.
While the ragù is cooking, blanch the spinach for lone minute in salted boiling water, drain, squeeze out the excess water and set spinach aside.
Heat the oven to 180 degrees C. 

Take the chilled polenta from the fridge, flip it on a chopping board, then cut discs with a cup or a cookie cutter.
Place polenta discs on a lined baking tray and top with cooked  spinach, then  ragù and finish with the Parmigiano Reggiano.
Cook in the oven just until the Parmigiano has melted and then serve  with a generous drizzle of De Nigris Platinum Label Balsamic Vinegar.

Cooking with Chef Giovanni