Polenta & Sugo
Maize has been cultivated in Italy since the 16th century, where it quickly became a staple of the peasant diet. Today, polenta’s traditional accompaniments vary from region to region, from salt cod and borlotti beans in the North to rich meat stews like this sugo in the South. If you want to go low and slow, swap in cubes of beef chuck or pork shoulder for the ground beef, and braise gently.
Yield: All recipes serve 2 people
Chef Notes: Save those parmesan rinds! They add incredible depth of flavor when thrown into soups, stews, risottos, and sauces like this classic sugo. Stored in the freezer in an airtight container, they last indefinitely.
Components
Sugo
Polenta
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Parsley
Mise
Make the Sugo
Brown the Beef: Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, then add the beef and brown, stirring often and breaking up with a spatula, until sizzling and just cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. While beef is cooking, chop onion and carrots and mince garlic.
Make the Sauce: Reheat skillet over medium heat and add onion and carrot to pan. Saute until they sweat a little, then add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add 2T tomato paste and toast, stirring around pan, until mixture is fragrant and has turned a rich red. Add whole tomatoes, breaking up with a spoon. Return beef to skillet along with parmesan rind (optional) and rosemary sprig. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook until sauce has reduced and tomato sauce has umami notes, about 30 minutes. Add a splash of water to the pan if the sauce is cooking down too fast.
Make the Polenta
Bring 1 q water to boil. Add polenta slowly, in a thin stream, while whisking continuously. Turn heat to low and simmer gently, whisking and scraping the bottom of pan often, until all the water is absorbed, the polenta has lost its grit, and the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season very liberally with salt to taste, then whisk in mascarpone.
Finish
Plate a scoop of polenta into a deep bowl and top with a scoop of sugo.
Garnish with grated Parmigiano and chopped parsley.