Continuing our stay on the southern shores of Italy, we are whisked away to a picturesque Tuscan villa near San Gimignnano and Volterra. It is here among the rolling green hills and vineyards, that Chef Charlie introduces us to a comforting Italian sugo, or traditional tomato-meat sauce, served over a buttery polenta.
Join us in the Tuscan countryside for Ragù Toscano con Polenta!
Ragù Toscano con Polenta Recipe
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1.5 hours
Makes
4 servings
Ingredients
For the Ragù
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, cut into a 1/4-inch dice
- 2 stalks celery, cut into a 1/4-inch dice
- 8 oz brown mushrooms, rinsed and cut into quarters
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz ground veal, crumbled
- 8 oz ground pork, crumbled
- 8 oz spicy Italian sausage, crumbled
The combination of meats suggested is classic and results in a particularly tasty finish, but ground beef is fine as well.
1 – 24 ounce can whole, peeled Italian plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped, juices reserved
2 tbsp tomato paste
For the Polenta
- 4 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup polenta (recommend Community Grains or Bob’s Red Mill brands)
- 4 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup minced parsley
- 4 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved
Method
For the Ragù
To a heavy stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the onions, celery, mushrooms, garlic and a tablespoon of kosher salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the meats, and using a spatula, break the meats up until uniformly crumbled. Fold to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meats are no longer pink.
Add the wine and stir to combine. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the wine has evaporated.
When the mixture is dry, add the chopped tomatoes (with juices), tomato paste, and a little water to cover.
Simmer, covered, on low heat for 1 hour. Check every so often, and give a stir.
Adjust seasonings, if necessary.
For the Polenta
- Combine 2 tablespoons butter, chicken stock and half and half in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Add the polenta all at once, and whisk constantly for 5 minutes.
- Cook until you reach the desired texture (about 15 minutes total); it can have a little more chew or be very soft, depending on your taste. Just cook a little more or little less.
If you want it softer, add a bit more water.
Once the desired doneness is reached, remove polenta from heat.
Add 1/2 of the cheese, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and whip with a spatula for 1 minute to emulsify and cream the fats.
Season with kosher salt and pepper, to taste.
To Serve
Add the parsley to the ragù. Place polenta on plate; top with ragù and the shaved cheese.
