Tomato and Sausage Ragù over Polenta

Ingrediënten

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed, OR 1 pound bulk Italian sausage (see headnote)

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 cup instant polenta

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley OR basil, chopped

2 ounces Parmesan OR pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (1 cup)

Instructies

In a 12-inch skillet over medium, heat 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces, until no longer pink and starting to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon black pepper and the tomatoes with juices. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until a spatula leaves a trail when drawn through the mixture, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside.

In a large saucepan, cook the polenta according to the package instructions. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and half the cheese; add hot water to thin, if needed (the polenta should have the consistency of thin mashed potatoes). Taste and season with salt and black pepper.

Return the sauce to a simmer over medium-high. Off heat, stir in the parsley. Spoon the polenta into individual shallow bowls and top with the sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Notities

This recipe combines a few flavor-packed ingredients to create a hearty, meaty ragù that’s ready to serve in less than 45 minutes. Either sweet or hot Italian sausage works here; use as much or as little red pepper flakes as you like to give the ragù a spicy kick. Serve it in bowls over creamy Parmesan-enriched polenta. Be sure to use fast-cooking instant polenta, not regular polenta, which requires longer cooking. Feel free to thin the polenta to your desired consistency with hot water.