Baked Polenta with Beef and Sausage Ragu

Method11 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Finely chop the carrot (1), onion (1), celery (1) and garlic (2), reserving the garlic separately. Gently sauté the carrot, onion and celery in the 1 tbsp olive oil for 6–7 minutes until soft but not browned.

   Sauté ragu vegetables until soft · 7 minUses 1 carrot, finely chopped · 1 onion, finely chopped · 1 celery stalk, finely chopped · 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped and reserved · 1 tbsp olive oil for ragu vegetables

2. 2

   Step 2: Add the beef mince (430 g), sausage meat removed from its skins and the reserved chopped garlic. Brown the meat, breaking it up as it cooks. If the sausages release excessive fat, spoon some off.

   Uses soft sautéed vegetables in oil · 430 g beef mince · 2 mild Italian sausages, skins removed · Chopped garlic from the 2 reserved cloves

3. 3

   Step 3: Pour in the 125 ml red wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add the 750 g passata, separate 2 tbsp ragu water and generous pinches of ragu salt and black pepper (1 generous pinch).

   Uses browned beef and sausage with vegetables · 125 ml red wine · 750 g passata or puréed tomatoes · 2 tbsp water added with passata · 1 generous pinch salt for ragu · 1 generous pinch black pepper for ragu

4. 4

   Step 4: Stir well, cover and simmer gently for 1½–2 hours until rich and tender. Add extra ragu water only if the sauce reduces too much.

   Simmer covered ragu · 120 minUses assembled beef and sausage ragu · Extra water only if simmering ragu reduces too much

5. 5

   Step 5: While the ragu simmers, prepare the fast-cooking polenta as follows so it has time to cool and firm up before assembly.

6. 6

   Step 6: Bring the separate 1 litre polenta water to a boil with the generous pinch of polenta salt. Pour in the 165 g polenta in a steady stream while stirring continuously. Reduce to medium-low and continue stirring until thick, smooth and cooked, following the fast-cooking polenta (165 g)’s package guidance.

   Uses 1 litre water for polenta · 1 generous pinch salt for polenta water · 165 g fast-cooking polenta (1 cup)

7. 7

   Step 7: Turn off the heat and stir the 50 g butter and 1 tbsp Parmesan into the cooked polenta until melted. Taste and add extra polenta salt only if needed.

   Uses thick smooth cooked polenta · 50 g butter for cooked polenta · 1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan · Extra salt only after tasting finished polenta

8. 8

   Step 8: Spread the finished polenta on a large baking tray and smooth the surface. Let it cool, then refrigerate until firm enough to cut and the ragu is ready.

   Uses butter-and-Parmesan polenta

9. 9

   Step 9: When the ragu is ready, preheat a fan/convection oven to 180°C.

10. 10

    Step 10: Transfer the finished ragu to a large baking dish. Cut the firm chilled polenta into strips and arrange all the pieces over the ragu.

    Uses finished beef and sausage ragu · firm chilled polenta

11. 11

    Step 11: Bake for about 30 minutes until the polenta top is slightly crisp and the ragu is bubbling. Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.

    Bake ragu and polenta; rest 5 minutes afterward · 30 minUses assembled polenta-topped ragu