Chestnut Spoon Bread With Fontina Cheese

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup whole peeled roasted chestnuts (from 7.4-ounce jar)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pasta flour (golden semolina flour)
• 1 1/4 cups packed coarsely grated fontina cheese (about 5 ounces)
• 5 large eggs, seperated

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350.
• 2 butter 11x7-inch glass baking dish.
• 3 melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat.
• 4 add chestnuts and thyme.
• 5 saute until heated through, breaking chestnuts into 1/2-inch pieces with back of spoon, about 4 minutes.
• 6 bring milk just to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• 7 add salt, then gradually whisk in pasta flour.
• 8 reduce heat to medium.
• 9 cook until mixture is very thick, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes.
• 10 remove from heat.
• 11 add remaining 6 tablespoons butter, then 1 cup cheese, whisking until cheese melts.
• 12 whisk in egg yolks 1 at a time; stir in chestnuts.
• 13 beat egg whites in large bowl until stiff but not dry.
• 14 fold whites into warm flour mixture in 2 additions.
• 15 transfer to prepared dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
• 16 bake spoon bread until puffed and beginning to brown, about 35 minutes.
• 17 let cool 5 minutes; serve warm.