Baked Polenta Balls with Sheep Cheese (Bulz)
Bulz Say it: boolz
Bulz is mountain fare from Transylvania and Romania’s shepherd country: warm cornmeal is packed around salty sheep cheese, then baked or grilled until the crust crisps and the middle turns soft and molten. It is a filling, rustic plate built for cold evenings, traditionally made over embers or on a griddle and finished with thick sour cream and a fried egg. The appeal is in the contrast—golden cornmeal outside, hot cheese within, and cool cream on top.
Baked Polenta Balls with Sheep Cheese (Bulz)
Bulz
Pronounced boolz
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Polenta
Filling
To serve
Method
For the polenta, heat the water and salt to a boil in a heavy pot. Add the cornmeal in a slow, thin stream while whisking, then lower the heat and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for 20–25 minutes, until the mixture is thick and begins to leave the pot’s sides. Take the pot off the heat and melt in 2 tbsp of the butter. Allow the polenta to cool only until it is warm enough to handle and still flexible.
Set the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put parchment paper on a baking sheet, or butter a baking dish lightly.
For the filling, break or grate the brânză de burduf (or the feta mixture) into a bowl. Slice the remaining 2 tbsp butter into small bits.
To form each bulz, wet your hands and press about 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm polenta into a flat round in your palm. Add roughly 2 tbsp cheese and a small piece of butter to the middle, then bring the polenta up over the filling and roll it into a ball, making sure no cheese is exposed. Set it on the prepared sheet. Continue with the rest of the polenta and filling until you have 12 balls.
Brush the balls with melted butter or oil. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the outside is golden and crisp; turn them once halfway through if you like, and check that the surface is golden and the edges look set.
Just before serving, fry the eggs in a nonstick pan with the oil or butter, cooking them as you prefer and adding a pinch of salt.
Bring the hot bulz to the table right away, with a fried egg on top and plenty of sour cream, or pass the sour cream separately.
Regional variant: Grilled Bulz (Bulz pe grătar)
Rather than baking, set the filled polenta balls on a hot oiled cast-iron griddle or grill pan and turn them until browned with light char. Brush with melted butter or pork fat during cooking, and use a bit less cheese if you want firmer balls over direct heat. Serve the same way, with sour cream and a fried egg.
Cook's notes
- If brânză de burduf is unavailable, crumble feta and blend it with a melting cheese such as mozzarella or provolone; feta supplies salt, while the melting cheese creates a soft, stretchy centre.
- Wet your hands or coat them lightly with oil while forming the balls so the warm polenta does not stick.
- For a smoky shepherd-style finish, cook the formed bulz on a hot, lightly oiled cast-iron griddle or over a grill, turning until charred and crisp.
Serve with
Pair with a sharp tomato-and-cucumber salad dressed with vinegar, pickled peppers, or a crisp Romanian white wine.
Make ahead and storage
The balls can be formed up to 1 day in advance and kept chilled on a lined tray; bake them from cold and allow 5–10 extra minutes. Leftovers rewarm well in a hot oven or skillet.
