Mamaliga

Instructions

1. 1 Bring the water and salt to a rolling boil in a heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and begin adding the cornmeal in a thin, steady stream while stirring constantly with a long wooden spoon to prevent lumps.
2. 2 Continue stirring vigorously in one direction for twenty to twenty-five minutes as the mixture thickens considerably. The mamaliga is ready when it pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pot and holds its shape on the spoon.
3. 3 Add the butter to the hot cornmeal and stir until fully melted and incorporated throughout. The butter adds richness and helps create a smoother, more luxurious texture in the finished golden porridge.
4. 4 Wet a wooden board or large plate with cold water, then invert the pot and turn the mamaliga out in one solid dome. Allow it to rest for two minutes before cutting with a taut string or wooden knife into thick slices.
5. 5 Cut the mamaliga into wedges using a piece of thread or wooden spatula, as metal knives can make the texture sticky. Arrange the slices on a warm serving platter in an overlapping pattern for an attractive presentation.
6. 6 Top each slice generously with crumbled sheep cheese and a large dollop of cold sour cream. Serve immediately while the mamaliga is still steaming hot, allowing the cheese to soften slightly from the residual heat of the porridge.