At this time of year, pumpkin everything is everywhere. It’s a little overdone in my opinion. When it comes to food, so much falls into the pumpkin spice category, which really isn’t about pumpkin at all – just those spices we associate with pumpkin pie. But pumpkin is actually a lovely thing to cook with and I really love it in savory applications, which I think get lost in all the hype about lattes, muffins, cookies, candies and on and on and on. A hearty and comforting meal with the lovely addition of pumpkin is so perfect for cooling autumn nights. This polenta, flavored with pumpkin and sage and topped with a traditional Italian sausage meat sauce with a twist would make a wonderful post trick or treating meal, a great gameday supper or something special for Thanksgiving weekend. Or, honestly, Tuesday. I served this to my book club and it was a hit.
I prefer mild Italian sausage, but feel free to use sweet or spicy or a combo. If you don’t find the bulk meat, jut slit the casings on links and remove them. The note of fennel seed in Italian sausage is what sets it apart, so I love the addition of fennel bulb to the sauce, but you can skip it if you want. The polenta is best made pretty close to serving, but you can prepare it up to an hour ahead, then reheat gently, stirring in a little more milk. You want quite a bit of salt at the beginning of cooking because it is very difficult to add saltiness to the finished product.
A few other savory pumpkin dishes to consider are my Turkey, Pumpkin and White Bean Chili, Pumpkin Pizza Dough and Pumpkin Tomato Sauce, Chicken Enchiladas in Pumpkin Sauce or Pumpkin Sage Focaccia.
Ingredients
- For the Ragu
Olive oil
2 pounds mild Italian sausage, bulk or links with casing removed
One small fennel bulb, finely diced
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
6 cloves of garlic, put through a press or finely minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
2 (15-ounce) cans pumpkin puree
1 bunch of fresh sage
The feathery fronds from the fennel
Salt and pepper
- For the Polenta
3 cups whole milk
3 cups water
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups polenta
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 ounces cream cheese
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
¼ cup chopped fresh sage
Directions
- For the Ragu
- Put about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a 4- 5 quart Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the sausage and use a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to break it into bite size chunks. You don’t need sloppy joe style crumbles, but easily forked chunks are nice. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and no longer pink. Remove to a paper towel lined plate using a slotted spoon. There should be several tablespoons of fat in the pan, if not add some more oil. Reduce the heat to medium, add the fennel and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes, then add the diced onion and cook, stirring frequently until it is soft and glassy, a further 5- 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one more minute. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, then add the tomatoes and the pumpkin. Stir to combine thoroughly. Lower the heat to medium low, then finely chop the sage and about a Tablespoon of fennel frond and stir in the sauce. Add a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper and stir well. Let the sauce simmer, stirring frequently, for about 45 minutes to an hour until thick and rich. You really need to simmer it gently for some time so the pumpkin develops a deep, earthy richness and loses any canned raw taste. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. The sauce can be made up to a day ahead and reheated gently before serving.
- For the Polenta
- Pour the milk and water into a 4- 5 quart Dutch oven. Add the salt and bring to a boil. When boiling, pour the polenta in a steady stream, stirring all the while, until it is incorporated. Cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed and the polenta is soft and cooked, but with still a little bite to it (al dente), anywhere from 20 – 30 minutes. Stir more frequently toward the end to avoid scorching. If you need to add some more water to reach your preferred consistency, do so a little at a time. Stir the pumpkin, cream cheese and sage into the polenta until well combined. Stir in the butter and let it melt and combine right before serving. It is best to make this as close to serving time as possible, but an hour ahead is okay, just reheat gently with a little extra milk and the butter.
- Serve large scoops of polenta topped with plenty of ragu.
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