Italian Sausages In Tomato Sauce With Cheesy Polenta Recipes

ITALIAN SAUSAGES IN TOMATO SAUCE WITH CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• Cut each sausage link into 4 pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until brown all over, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.
• Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the skillet. When hot, add the peppers, onion and zucchini and season with salt. Cook, tossing, until the vegetables just begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the wine and reduce until syrupy, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and the flavors have melded, about 10 minutes.
• Return the sausage to the skillet, stir in the spinach and simmer until the sausage is heated through and the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the polenta. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the grated Pecorino Romano and butter. Season with salt, if needed.
• To serve, chop the basil leaves and stir into the sauce. Spoon the hot polenta into 4 shallow bowls. Top each with some of the tomato mixture. Use a vegetable peeler to shave more cheese over the top and garnish each serving with a basil sprig.
• Party Version: Make the polenta following the directions above. Spread the finished polenta onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets in a thin even layer and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Cut the polenta into squares (about 1 1/2 inches) and transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets (or re-line the original baking sheets). Bake at 325 degrees F until crisp, about 35 minutes. (The polenta squares will continue to crisp up as they cool.)
• Cut the sausage into thin rounds, then cook and remove following the directions above.
• Chop the bell peppers, onion and zucchini a little more finely than called for above, then follow the directions for making the tomato sauce. Add the browned sausage (but not the spinach) to the skillet and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• To serve, lay a spinach leaf on each polenta crisp. Top with a dollop of the tomato mixture and a sausage round. Shave a bit of the Pecorino Roman onto each and top with a basil leaf.

BAKED POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• To prepare the tomato sauce:
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes, yellow onion, and garlic in a baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and the skin is peeling away from the tomatoes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and put in a saucepan. Squeeze the garlic out of the bulb and into the tomatoes. Remove the skin from the onion. Coarsely chop the onion and add to the tomatoes.
• Add the olive oil to the tomatoes and puree with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. You may need to add up to 1/3 cup water if there is not enough liquid. Season with salt. Warm the tomato sauce just prior to use.
• To prepare the polenta:
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a simmer and stream in the polenta. Whisk together until there are no lumps. Cover with a lid and continue to cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Be careful when you go to stir the polenta-it tends to spit out pieces of the cornmeal, which is very hot. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the olive oil and basil. Drop in teaspoon-size pieces of the ricotta cheese. Pour the polenta into an 8-inch square baking pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and let sit for 1 hour or until the polenta has firmed up. Bake the polenta in the oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. Cut the polenta into 8 equal pieces.
• To serve:
• Place 1/2 cup warm tomato sauce in 4 shallow bowls and top with two pieces of the polenta. Sprinkle with the chopped basil.

15-MINUTE CHEESY POLENTA WITH CHUNKY TOMATO RAGU

Steps:

• Place a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Combine the milk, 3 1/2 cups water and a large pinch of salt in a medium saucepan, cover and set it over medium-high heat.
• When the large skillet is hot, add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl the pan to coat. Add the sausage and cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until lightly browned in parts, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the onion into large chunks.
• Add the onion, carrots and garlic to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the vegetables and a large pinch of salt to the pan with the sausage and cook until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
• By this time, the milk and water mixture should be at a strong simmer. Whisk in the polenta and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is thickened and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the butter and cheese and season with additional salt if needed. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
• When the vegetables are slightly softened, stir in the tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are completely tender and the juice from the tomatoes has reduced slightly, 6 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and red pepper flakes if desired.
• Divide the polenta (if the polenta is too thick, whisk in 1/4 to 1/2 cup warm water to thin it out) among 4 bowls and top with the chunky tomato ragu. Toss the greens in a large bowl with the remaining olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper and serve on the side.

ITALIAN SAUSAGES IN HOT TOMATO SAUCE WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat the chile oil in a skillet and add the sausages; separating the links and letting them fry for about 5 minutes until they are colored.
• Add in the Marsala and let the pan bubble for a minute or so, then pour the tomato chile sauce and water over the sausages.
• Simmer for 15 minutes while you make the polenta; prepare polenta according to package directions except use chicken stock rather than just water.
• When the polenta is cooked, whisk in 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Divide the polenta among 6 warm plates and top with the sausages and hot tomato sauce. If you have more sauce than you need per plate, just pour it into a little pitcher for people to add as they want.

LAYERED POLENTA LOAF WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE & CHEESE

Steps:

• In a saucepan of medium-high heat, sauté fresh sausage with 2 tablespoons olive oil and clove of garlic. Cook until brown. Discard garlic clove.
• Pulse sausage, mortadella and pancetta, separately. Combine and set aside.
• Steam spinach, just until wilted. Drain well and chop roughly.
• Have loaf pan greased and ingredients prepared, as polenta will start to harden quickly.
• Bring 4 1/2 cups of water to a rapid boil. Salt to taste. Add polenta to water by whisking in slowly. Stir in 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan and 1/4 stick of butter. Cook until mixture has thickened about 1 minute.
• Layer in loaf pan: 1/3 polenta mixture, sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella, meat mixture, then top with spinach. Top with another 1/3 of polenta mixture, then remaining mozzarella. Cover with the rest of the polenta and chill for 1-2 hours or until set.
• To serve: preheat oven to 375Ëš. Flip loaf pan to remove terrine, then slice. On a shallow, non-stick baking sheet, arrange slices and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until warmed and cheese melted.
• Serve with a salad of torn burrata and cherry tomatoes in olive oil.

POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Chop whole onion and saute in hot oil in large nonstick pan.
• Mince garlic and add, cooking until onion begins to soften.
• Remove sausage from casing and crumble into pan; brown on all sides.
• Wash, trim and cube zucchini; add to pan and continue to cook until zucchini begins to take on color, about 2 minutes.
• Add tomato puree, tomato paste, wine, oregano, thyme, sugar and pepper; stir well, and cook over medium-low heat while preparing the polenta.
• Bring chicken stock to boil for polenta in covered pot.
• Grate cheese coarsely.
• Slowly stir cornmeal into boiling stock, and cook until mixture thickens to a soft mush. Remove from heat.
• Serve polenta topped with sausage-tomato sauce, sprinkled with cheese.