Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 2-quart casserole or 8 individual ramekins and coat with bread crumbs. Shake out excess crumbs.

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add milk and bring almost to the boil. Whisk in cornmeal and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Remove from heat and let cool.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they’re stiff but still creamy. Beat the egg yolks into the cornmeal mixture, then fold in the egg whites, a third at a time. Fold in the cheese and pour into casserole or spoon into ramekins.

Top the spoon bread with a little extra cheese. Bake until the surface is lightly golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean—about 25 minutes if you’re using a casserole, 20 minutes if you’re using the individual ramekins.