Beef Ragu con Polenta di Formaggio

on AMAZON

Beef Ragu over Cheesy Polenta
A rustic, belly-filling recipe from simple ingredients. The cook time from pan to table is under an hour, so it's great for a quick family meal during the workweek...

Ingredients
Polenta

• 1 cup quick-cooking polenta
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup mascarpone

Ragu

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground chuck/beef
• 1 medium diced sweet onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1 (28-ounce) can Tuttarosso crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves or two teaspoons dry

Directions

1. Cook polenta in a medium saucepan according to package directions. At the end, stir in 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano and mascarpone. Cover to keep warm.
2. Next, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
3. Saute onion until translucent, then add beef and garlic, stirring often to break up meat. Cook until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer beef mixture to a plate using a slotted spoon and discard excess fat. Return meat to the pan, then add the crushed tomatoes and all the spices. Simmer for 20-30 minutes with the pan covered on low heat.
5. Divide polenta evenly among 4 shallow bowls. Top each serving with the ragu, top with a few fresh basil leaves and some grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Enjoy!

--Jerry Finzi

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