-
1
Finely dice carrots, celery and onion, or process in food processor. Mince or press garlic.
-
2
Heat heavy dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 T. olive oil and quickly brown sausage (possibly in batches) on all sides for about 4 minutes total. Remove sausages to plate.
-
3
Reduce heat to medium low and add another 1 to 2 tablespoons oil to pan if pan needed. Add diced onion, carrot and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. When onion is translucent, add garlic and tomato paste to pan and saute briefly, 30 to 60 seconds, until garlic is very fragrant.
-
4
Deglaze pan with white wine and reduce until liquid is mostly evaporated. Add canned tomatoes with puree to pan and quickly crush with the back of a wooden spoon, then add chicken stock, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper (if using), stir well, and bring to strong simmer
-
5
Return sausages and any juices to pan and submerge in tomato mixture. Partially cover pan and adjust heat to maintain a low to moderate simmer. Cook an additional 30 minutes or more, depending on how much time is available. The sausage will cook through in 20 to 30 minutes, so if simmering the sauce longer, delay adding sausage. Stir a few times during cooking, and 15 to 20 minutes before end of cooking time, add fresh herbs to pan and stir well.
-
6
While sauce simmers, prepare polenta according to package directions. (On busy weeknights, the microwave preparation works well for me!)
-
7
Before serving, remove sausages from pan, and if a thick, smoother sauce is desired, puree sauce with hand blender. (Alternately, transfer to processor or blender to puree, but take caution with hot liquid.) Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Return sausage to pan, sprinkle with fresh parsely (optional) and serve over polenta with grated parmesan cheese and additional crushed red pepper for spice lovers.
