Inspired by a meal I ate at a restaurant when I traveled to Liguria, Italy a few years ago, this home-cooked sausage and polenta recipe was unforgettable… So today I would like to share this Polenta con Salsiccia recipe with you!
If it is finely ground, polenta (aka corn flour) can be cooked in about 3 minutes, but I find the coarse ground infinitely more delicious. The polenta I recommend comes from a farm in upstate New York called Farmer Ground. It is so coarse it takes 40 minutes to cook, but it is well worth it. If you prefer something more finely ground, they also make cornmeal. 

Sausages & Polenta | Polenta con Salsiccia

ソーセージ&ポレンタ For 2 people

INGREDIENTS

Polenta

  • 1/2 c polenta
  • 2 c water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 c grated Parmesan

Sausage & sauce

  • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 1/2 c tomato sauce or canned whole tomatoes
  • 2 sweet Italian sausages

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation

  1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan, heat extra water in a kettle.
  2. Finely chop the onions, carrot and celery.
  3. If using whole tomato cans, chop the tomatoes into small pieces.
  4. Grate Parmesan

To make the Polenta

  1. As the water comes to a boil, add a pinch of salt and whisk in the polenta in a thin stream.
  2. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir every few minutes so that it does not stick to the bottom.
  3. If it gets too thick, add a little boiling water from the kettle.
  4. After cooking for the recommended time (check the package), it is time for a taste test! Turn off the heat when it reaches the desired thickness, add Parmesan and mix.

For Sausages and Sauce

  1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan, and sauté the onions until translucent.
  2. Add carrot and celery and cook well until tender.
  3. Add tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. (If you are using canned tomatoes, add a little salt)
  4. In another skillet, brown the sausages over medium heat. This should take about 10 minutes. If it sticks to the bottom, add a little water.
  5. Transfer the sausages to a saucepan with sauce, cover and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes until the sausages are cooked through. Turn the sausages over once or twice on the way.
  6. Plate the polenta and add the sausage and sauce on top for an unforgettable savory dish.

[Photos and styling by Hitomi Watanabe Deluca]