
Three pillars of Italian cooking made better together: fennel sausage, zesty tomato sauce, and creamy polenta. This recipe comes to us from Ada Boni's The Talisman Italian Cook Book. Boni's writing had few frills, and her rustic recipes followed suit. But a seemingly simple dish of whole sausages braised in marinara has spicy-sweet, cooked-all-day flavor. Garnish with torn fresh basil or Italian parsley leaves for a bright, herbaceous finish.
Polenta with Sausage Gravy (Adapted from The Talisman Italian Cook Book )
Ada Boni’s simple recipes were meant to introduce American cooks to Italian flavors. Boni’s writing had few frills, and her rustic recipes followed suit. But a seemingly simple dish of whole sausages braised in marinara has spicy-sweet, cooked-all-day flavor. Garnish with torn fresh basil or Italian parsley leaves for a bright, herbaceous finish. Get the recipe for Polenta with Sausage Gravy »
Ingredients
For the sausages and gravy
- 4 hot or sweet Italian sausage links (about 1 1/4 lb.)
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1⁄8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large can (28-oz.) whole peeled tomatoes, cut or torn into small chunks, juices reserved
- 1 small can (8-oz.) tomato purée (sauce)
For the polenta
- 3⁄4 lb. cornmeal
- 2 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
- 3 tbsp. grated Romano cheese, or more to taste, for serving