Sausage Ragu and Creamy, Cheesy Polenta
Serving the ragu over polenta makes this a gluten-free meal!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet sausage with fennel
- 1 small bulb fennel, trimmed, core removed and chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- Salt and pepper
- A few leaves sage, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 28-ounce can whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup quick-cooking polenta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon Acacia honey
- A few grates nutmeg, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat with olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add sausage and brown and crumble; add fennel, onions and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and sage, and stir to combine. Partially cover the pot and cook to soften vegetables, 7-8 minutes. Deglaze the pot with wine, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add tomatoes, breaking them up then reduce heat and simmer to thicken, about 20 minutes.
Bring water and milk to a simmer and whisk in polenta. Once it starts to come together, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in butter, honey and cheese.
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