Now is the time of year for comfort. Chilly and grey outside, short days waiting for spring. I love to cozy up on the couch to read good books and stream TV series. Generally nesting at home. So a hearty, warming, comforting dish is perfect. This recipe is not difficult, but it does take a little time and patience. It is the kind of meal I find almost meditative to create. Quietly stirring the polenta, chopping the vegetables and constructing the sauce. The house filled with the delicious fragrance of the sauce. The last time I made this, I spent a quiet afternoon making the polenta and sauce, with a great playlist in the background, and put the few dishes in the dishwasher overnight. The next day was a little busy, but family arrived for dinner and it only took a little prep and heating, tossing a salad, and we had a delicious dinner on the table.
I add some fresh chopped oregano if it’s available, but if you don’t want to just bump the dried seasoning to 2 Tablespoons. If you grated the parmigiana cheese for the polenta from a piece with a rind, cut it off and add it to the simmering sauce, it really bumps up the flavor, just fish it out before serving. This is my favorite simple meat sauce recipe, but if you have a family favorite, feel free to use that.
Ingredients
- For the Polenta
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
4 garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups polenta
½ cup heavy cream
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
Olive oil
- For the Sauce
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage, bulk or casings removed from links
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
4 garlic cloves
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup red wine
1 (14-ounce) can beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 ½ Tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 bay leaf
Directions
- For the Polenta
- Line a 9 by 13-inch pan with nonstick foil or parchment with an overhang for lifting out the cooked polenta. Spray it with cooking spray and place on a wire rack. Setting the pan on the rack will circulate air so the polenta cools more evenly.
- Put the broth, water, garlic cloves and slat in a large Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium heat. Bringing it to a boil slowly over medium lets the garlic infuse the liquid with flavor. When boiling, slowly stream in the polenta, stirring all the time. Stir frequently, and almost constantly as it thickens to prevent sticking or scorching on the bottom. When the polenta is thick and more polenta than liquid, pour in the cream and stir constantly until the polenta is thick again. Fish out the garlic cloves with tongs or a fork and discard. Add the butter in pieces and stir constantly until thick and the polenta wants to pull away from the sides of the pot. Stir in ½ cup of the cheese until melted. Immediately pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Leave to cool to room temperature, then press apiece of plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush the paper with olive oil. Lift the polenta out of the pan with the overhanging foil, then slice into 8 squares. Place the squares on the baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of parmigiana evenly over the polenta. Bake for 30 minutes, until hot through, lightly golden and slightly puffed. Serve immediately with the meat sauce spooned over the top.
- For the Sauce
- Put the olive oil in a large Dutch oven and heat over medium high heat. Add the Italian sausage and ground beef and cook, breaking up with a sturdy spatula, until cooked through. Add the diced onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are glassy and the carrots and celery are softened. Put the garlic through a press, or finely mince it, and add, stirring, and cook for a further two minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to distribute evenly, then cook for 4 – 5 minutes until the paste has darkened to a brick read color. Pour in the wine, beef broth and crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of water and stir to combine. Add the Italian seasoning and chopped oregano and stir. Drop in the bay leaf. Season with about 1 teaspoon of salt and generous grinds of black pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pot and simmer for 1 ½ – 2 hours until thick and rich and delicious. Fish out the bay leaf, taste and add more salt and pepper if you like. You can cool, cover and refrigerate overnight and gently reheat, adding a splash of water if needed.
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