This is one of my favorite meals from last weekend. And as a bonus, it made way more sauce than needed, so we’ve been eating it all week for lunch on top of pasta and leftover polenta.

It’s been so good to be home this week. The house is clean, the laundry is (close to) done. I’ve been to the gym two days in a row! My errands are mostly taken care of – except for getting my gel manicure taken off. Dave and I are catching up on our podcasts – even This American Life! That’s the one we always seem to be a little behind on.

And this weekend we have no plans. Which sometimes, is my favorite kind of plan.

Here’s what you need:
For the ragu:
1 lb. ground spicy pork sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, minced
1 large can whole peeled tomatoes (the double size!)
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves

For the polenta:
1 cup coarse ground polenta
3 cups water
Heavy pinch of salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream

In a Dutch oven or similar heavy pot, brown the sausage, then remove the sausage and leave the fat in the pot. Add about a tablespoon of oil, and heat back up. Add in the onion, garlic and red pepper and cook until softened. Add the sausage back in along with the can of tomatoes, white wine and herbs, and bring to a simmer, breaking up the tomatoes with your spoon.

While the ragu is simmering, whisk together the polenta, water and salt. Bring to a simmer and stir frequently, until the polenta thickens. Once thickened, stir in the Parmesan and heavy cream. Serve the sauce over the polenta and top with Parmesan.