I’ve recently purchased the cookbook Danube, by Irina Georgescu, published in 2024. It’s a beautiful and informative book that covers the cuisines of Eastern European countries, specifically those through which the Danube River flows on its way to the Black Sea. These are the cuisines of Romania, Serbia, and Bulgaria.

Nigella Lawson calls this book “utterly magical.” And it is. Many of the countries highlighted in Danube are less well known regarding their cuisines, but it’s easy to fall in love with them. The foods are simple, hearty and practical – mostly grains, legumes, and vegetables.

From the book I chose to make Mămăligă la Cuptor. Mămăligă translates to polenta or cornmeal, and la cuptor translates to “in the oven.” That describes the dish well. This cornmeal porridge starts on the stove with cheese, but unlike Italian polenta, it is then poured into a baking dish; eggs and sour cream are stirred in before going in the oven.

The variety of cheese listed in the recipe is cașcaval, a cheese made from the milk of cows, sheep, goats, or a mixture thereof. Interestingly enough, it’s suggested on Wikipedia that the name cașcaval originates from caciocavallo, which is Italian. I decided on provolone as the substitute cheese for this dish.

This cornmeal porridge is also eaten for breakfast, typically with jam and sour cream. For the lunch or dinner version I’ve included savory meatballs. Other options are sausages, eggs, or even beans. And always sour cream!

Mămăligă la Cuptor
Romanian Oven-Baked Porridge

2 cups water
2 teaspoons salt (plus an extra pinch for baking)
1 cup fine cornmeal
1 3/4 ounces salted butter (plus extra for dotting)
2 1/2 ounces cașcaval or cheddar cheese (grated, plus extra for baking)
Generous 3/4 cup sour cream
2 medium eggs (beaten)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a deep pan, bring the measured water and salt to the boil. Add the cornmeal and use a whisk to distribute it evenly in the water. Reduce the heat to low, cover and allow the cornmeal to absorb the liquid for 8–10 minutes. Whisk a couple of times throughout this process. (I had to add at least another 1/2 cup of water.)

Stir in the butter and cheese, then pour the cornmeal into a 9 inch ceramic baking dish. Allow it to cool a little.

Make a large well in the middle. Add the sour cream, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then add the beaten eggs, working them a little with a fork into the sour cream.

Place a few dots of butter on top and another sprinkle of grated cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the eggs are just set and the cornmeal has a beautiful golden crust.

Sprinkle the thyme on top and serve hot.

The provolone was perfect with the polenta. And for the breakfast version I used my favorite sour cherry preserves.

Just as is, this polenta is exquisite. I love the addition of thyme.