Balkan Kachamak with Kajmak and Melting White Cheese

⏱ 35 min · Serves 4

Silky cornmeal porridge beaten with butter, then folded through with tangy kajmak and salty white cheese until it slumps into glossy, spoonable comfort. This is Balkan mountain food at its best — humble, rich and impossible to stop eating straight from the pan.

Per serving: 610 kcal · 18.0g protein · 50.0g carbs · 38.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1.2 litres water
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 250g coarse yellow cornmeal (polenta)
• 60g butter
• 150g kajmak (Balkan clotted cream), plus extra to serve
• 200g white brined cheese (feta or sirene), crumbled
• 100ml warm milk (optional, to loosen)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Method

1. Bring the water and salt to a rolling boil in a wide, heavy pan.
2. Rain the cornmeal in slowly with one hand while whisking constantly with the other, so no lumps form.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the kachamak is thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Add a splash of the warm milk if it stiffens too much.
4. Beat in the butter until glossy, then stir in 100g of the kajmak and two-thirds of the crumbled cheese so it melts into ribbons rather than disappearing.
5. Taste and season with black pepper (the cheese usually brings enough salt).
6. Spoon into warm bowls, dent the top of each with the back of a spoon and drop in the remaining kajmak and cheese. Scatter with parsley and serve immediately, while the cheese is still melting.