Polenta sulla Spianatora Ciociara
Soft yellow polenta poured over a large wooden pastry board, smothered in a slow-simmered pork sausage ragù and finished with sharp Pecorino cheese.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 640 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-bottomed pot
- •Large frying pan
- •Wooden pastry board (spianatora)
- •Whisk
- •Wooden spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- fat
- 27 g
- carbs
- 74 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 26 g
- calories
- 640 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat.
- 2
Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic, frying gently until soft and translucent.
- 3
Crumble in the fresh pork sausage meat, breaking large lumps with a wooden spoon.
- 4
Fry the sausage meat for eight minutes until lightly browned all over.
- 5
Stir in the crushed plum tomatoes and chilli flakes, then season with a pinch of salt.
- 6
Simmer the ragù over low heat for thirty minutes until thick and glossy.
- 7
Bring the water and fine sea salt to a rolling boil in a heavy-bottomed pot.
- 8
Pour the cornmeal in a steady stream, whisking vigorously to avoid any lumps.
- 9
Reduce the heat to low and stir steadily with a wooden spoon for forty minutes.
- 10
Pour the steaming hot polenta directly onto the centre of a large, clean wooden board.
- 11
Spread the polenta out into an even layer using a flat spatula or wet ladle.
- 12
Ladle the hot sausage ragù evenly over the polenta and scatter generously with grated Pecorino.
Chef's tips
Ensure the wooden board is completely clean and dry before pouring the hot polenta. If the polenta thickens too quickly while cooking, splash in a little boiling water to maintain a pourable consistency. Serve immediately as the polenta begins to set quickly on the cold wood.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh pork sausages → pork spare ribs, braised in the tomato sauce until tender
- Pecorino Romano → Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano for a milder savoury finish
Storage
Store leftover polenta and sauce together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Slice cold set polenta and pan-fry in a little olive oil until crisp, serving warmed leftover sauce on top.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Dumping the cornmeal in all at once, which causes stubborn dry lumps
- •Using a thin sauce that runs off the edges of the wooden board
- •Letting the polenta cool in the pan before pouring, preventing a smooth layer on the board
Serving suggestions
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