Polenta con Salsicce Abruzzese
Soft yellow cornmeal polenta topped with a rich tomato and rustic pork sausage ragù, traditionally served directly onto a wooden pastry board in highland Abruzzo.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 610 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- •Wooden spoon or polenta whisk
- •Large frying pan
- •Wooden board or deep serving platter
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- fat
- 27 g
- carbs
- 64 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 26 g
- calories
- 610 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat with the crushed garlic and chilli.
- 2
Add the sausage pieces and brown them evenly until lightly caramelised all over.
- 3
Pour in the red wine and scrape the base of the pan until the alcohol evaporates completely.
- 4
Add the passata, reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for thirty minutes until thick and glossy.
- 5
Bring the salted water to a rolling boil in a heavy-bottomed pot.
- 6
Pour the cornmeal into the boiling water in a steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- 7
Switch to a wooden spoon and stir continuously over low heat for forty minutes until thick and pulling away from the sides.
- 8
Pour the hot polenta directly onto a large wooden board or warm serving platter.
- 9
Spoon the hot sausage ragù generously over the centre of the golden polenta.
- 10
Scatter with grated Pecorino Abruzzese and serve immediately while steaming hot.
Chef's tips
Pour the cornmeal in a very fine, steady rain while whisking briskly to guarantee a smooth texture without clumps. If the polenta becomes too stiff before it is fully cooked, stir in a splash of boiling water. Keep the sauce thick so it sits neatly atop the polenta rather than making it runny.
Ingredient substitutions
- Pecorino Abruzzese → Pecorino Romano or aged sheep's milk cheese
- Abruzzese pork sausages → any coarse, high-meat Italian pork sausages flavoured with fennel or black pepper
- Montepulciano d'Abruzzo red wine → an equal measure of dry red wine or beef stock
Storage
Store leftover polenta and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Slice cold set polenta and pan-fry in olive oil until crisp, then serve topped with reheated sausage sauce.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding the cornmeal all at once, which creates stubborn lumps that cannot be whisked out.
- •Under-cooking the polenta, leaving it with a raw, gritty texture rather than smooth and creamy.
- •Simmering the polenta over high heat, which causes violent splattering and burns the base.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Polenta con Salsicce Abruzzese?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Abruzzo
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
