This was the plan for a cosy evening with Anna, Giando and Giuliano. Looking up classic Swiss fondue recipes is all well and good, but the cheeses are rarely the same ones we actually find here, so I built an Italian-supermarket-friendly version instead. And honestly? It works.

You can make it with or without a fondue pot. I found mine cheaply on Vinted, but I’ll also tell you how to do it in a saucepan on the hob.

Quick info

  • Servings: 4
  • Prep: 20 minutes
  • Cooking: 15 minutes
  • Tools: fondue pot or thick-bottomed saucepan + hob, wooden spoon, baking tray, food processor

Ingredients

For the fondue

  • 300g (10.6 oz) fontina
  • 200g (7.1 oz) mild provolone
  • 100g (3.5 oz) grated cheese
  • 250ml (8.5 fl oz) dry white wine (or 250ml / 8.5 fl oz hot vegetable broth)
  • 2 level teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 garlic clove
  • black pepper to taste

To serve

  • Croutons (1 loaf of rustic bread or baguette, 500g / 17.6 oz)
  • fresh mixed salad

Method

Croutons

Cut the bread into small bite-sized cubes, spread them on a baking tray and bake at 150°C (302°F), conventional setting, for 10–12 minutes, turning them halfway through. They should be golden and crisp outside, still slightly soft inside.

Prep the cheeses

Cut the fontina and provolone and blitz them until you get a coarse-fine crumble. Tip into a bowl with the grated cheese and toss with the cornstarch — it should coat all the cheese.

Fondue

Rub the inside of the pan with the garlic clove. Pour in 250ml (8.5 fl oz) of wine (or hot broth) and heat over medium-low until hot but not boiling. Drop the heat and add the cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly in a figure-of-8. Don’t stop stirring.

The fondue is ready when it’s smooth, even and creamy. Finish with a grind of pepper.

Warning signs: big bubbles → too hot; fat separating → temperature too high; rubbery strings → heat too high.

At the table

Alternate a bite of fondue with a crouton and a bite of fresh salad. That way it doesn’t get heavy and stays elegant. Keep the fondue on the lowest flame: never let it simmer. If it thickens up, add 1–2 tablespoons of hot liquid and stir gently.