Chestnut Spoon Bread with Fontina Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 cup honey whole peeled (from 7.4-ounce jar)
• 5 large eggs separated
• 2 tablespoons thyme sprigs fresh chopped
• 1 cup semolina flour (golden semolina flour)
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 8 tablespoons butter unsalted (1 stick)
• 3 cups milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• glass baking pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat.
2. Add chestnuts and thyme. Sauté until heated through, breaking chestnuts into 1/2-inch pieces with back of spoon, about 4 minutes. Bring milk just to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.
3. Add salt, then gradually whisk in pasta flour. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until mixture is very thick, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Add remaining 6 tablespoons butter, then 1 cup cheese, whisking until cheese melts.
6. Whisk in egg yolks 1 at a time; stir in chestnuts. Beat egg whites in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into warm flour mixture in 2 additions.
7. Transfer to prepared dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
8. Bake spoon bread until puffed and beginning to brown, about 35 minutes.
9. Let cool 5 minutes; serve warm.
10. *Available at specialty foods stores, Italian markets, and some supermarkets.