Polenta with sausages and beans
Polenta con salsicce e fagioli
Valentina Harris
SERVES 6
Preparation 30 minutes plus overnight soaking
Cooking 1 hour 30 minutes
500g dried borlotti beans, soaked overnight in cold water
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 tsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp tomato purée, diluted in 4 tbsp warm water
12 Italian sausages
for the polenta
1.75 litres cold water
sea salt
250-300g ground cornmeal (polenta flour), fine, medium or coarse ground according to your own personal preference
Rinse the beans and then cover with fresh water. Bring to a fast boil for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature and simmer for 45 minutes or until tender. Fry the oil with the garlic, onion, celery, carrot and parsley until soft, then add the tomato purée. Stir together and then add the sausages. Fry for a few minutes, then add the beans and liquid. Season and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes, until thickened and rich. While the sausages and beans are simmering, prepare the polenta. Pour the water into a wide, heavy-bottomed, preferably copper pan, over a high heat. Bring the water to the boil. Trickle the polenta flour into the boiling water with one hand, and whisk with the other.
When all the flour has been whisked into the water, reduce the heat to medium and stir with a strong, long-handled wooden spoon until the polenta comes away from the sides of the pan, about 45 minutes. Turn the polenta out on to a wooden board and smooth it into a mound shape with a spatula. Leave to stand for about 5 minutes, covered with a clean cloth, then cut into slabs. (Alternatively, leave it to go completely cold, then slice and grill, fry or bake.) Serve the stew over a wedge of polenta.