Sausage and Mushrooms with Polenta (Salsiccia e Funghi con Polenta)
I remember my Nonna making sausage and mushrooms with polenta since I was a child. She learned to make this Northern Italian dish from her brother-in-law, Riccardo, from Val D’Aosta (Aosta Valley) in the Alps, the home of fontina cheese and an area where polenta is frequently made. So anytime they went up to the mountains, they stirred up a batch of this dish and popped open a bottle of wine. In particular, my Nonna would cook polenta with the fam on Ferragosto, the national holiday on August 15th during the dog days of summer.
When the garlic starts to sizzle, strategically place the sausage in the skillet
Time to brown the sausage
Polenta is a hearty, versatile grain and affordable to boot. It’s peasant food— cornmeal that’s cooked with broth, butter, and salt until it’s thick and creamy. Polenta is a filling dish that tastes like corn and grits, which has a similar, albeit smoother texture. Essentially, the main difference is that grits are typically made from white corn, and polenta is made with yellow corn.
Then you hit the skillet with the mushrooms and stir
I like to use dried porcini because the flavor is intense, but you need to soak, rinse, and strain them very well to remove the grit
I find polenta to be a comforting meal to make because it reminds me of my family. It’s pretty much a staple in my Grandparents’ house. The best kind is course stone-ground, but to be honest, if you’re pressed for time, instant polenta is fine, too. Just be aware that it’s heavily processed, and the texture will change because of this, but the flavor and vibrant color are the same. If you’re doing regular polenta, go with Bob’s Red Mill, but if you’re using instant polenta, I like the brand Polenta Valsugana. However, a word of advice, do not buy the trash polenta that comes in a tube, I’m begging you. It’s gross!
Adding in the tomatoes
Simmer down now
The cook times vary between regular and instant, with the former taking forty-five minutes to cook and the express version taking around 8 minutes. Lately, I’ve bought the express polenta because it’s quick and easy to prepare, so if you’re not using this type, just remember that the cooking time will be longer. When in doubt, it’s best to follow the directions on the back of the box or bag. I also like to add cheese to my polenta because I subscribe to the notion that it makes everything taste better. If you’re using any cheese, fontina or Parmigiano-Reggiano are the best choices.
It’s like looking inside the briefcase in Pulp Fiction
I think I see some polenta in there…
Cooking polenta is a lot like cooking risotto because you have to stir the pot constantly. Otherwise, it will burn or stick to the bottom. This recipe also requires thin Italian pinwheel pork sausage, also known as Luganega or Barese Sausage, which is a bit sweet and spicy and coiled into a spiral. If you don’t have access to this type, I would recommend adding a little salt, red chili flakes, parsley, and a bit of grated Parmigiana-Reggiano into the sauce because other types of sausage won’t have these ingredients in them. As for the mushrooms, I like porcini or white buttons for this recipe.
If you’re sipping on some wine with dinner, I would pair the dish with a Barbera, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, or Merlot. Go wild.
BEHOLD
Ingredients
~13 oz of polenta
1lb of mushrooms
1lb of Italian sausage (cheese and parsley preferably), sliced into 2-3 inch pieces
6 cups of water with 3 chicken bouillon cubes or 6 cups of broth
5 peeled tomatoes from the can, crushed
1/3 cup of tomato sauce from the same can
1/3 cup of shredded fontina cheese
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
Pinch of sugar
Parsley for garnish, chopped
(optional): 1/4 cup of red or white wine (do not use vinegar if using wine)
(optional): 1/2 onion, chopped
Sausage and Mushroom Instructions
On medium heat in a deep skillet, warm olive oil until hot and toss in the garlic, cooking for around 2 minutes
Cook sausage on medium heat until they turn lightly brown, around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add in the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes while they release their juice
Add in the tomatoes, the tomato sauce, a pinch of sugar, and the red wine vinegar, cooking for around 15 minutes on medium-low with the skillet covered
Uncover and cook for 5 more minutes
Remove from heat and set aside until the polenta is ready. Pour over the polenta and serve right away
Polenta Instructions
Bring 6 cups of water with the bouillon cubes or 6 cups of broth to a boil in a large pot
Pour in the polenta and whisk. Cook for 4 minutes if using instant and 15 minutes if using regular pre-soaked cornmeal, stirring constantly
Add in half the butter and cook for 4 more minutes for instant and 15 more minutes for the pre-soaked cornmeal. Stir in the Fontina cheese and the rest of the butter at the end and mix until fully combined. Remove from heat, pour onto a serving dish, and eat immediately
Note: *If cornmeal is dry add 20 minutes onto the total cooktime
