Polenta with Turkey Sausage

I’ve only had polenta twice in my life but I really enjoyed it both times. I finally got around to buying some and found a wonderful recipe to use it in! You can use regular Italian sausage in the sauce but I prefer the less fatty taste of turkey sausage. This recipe serves 6-8.

Polenta is coarsely ground corn. Some people make polenta from regular cornmeal but I prefer the substantial texture that the coarse grind gives the finished product. You can use polenta as a side dish (like rice or potatoes). You can also make it into patties and fry it in butter. As I experiment with it I will post my results here!

Polenta with Turkey Sausage

2 cups whole milk

2 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup polenta

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 pound ground turkey

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons dried sage

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian stewed tomatoes

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring milk, water, and salt to a boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook 20 minutes, until creamy, lifting the lid and stirring every 3 or 4 minutes to prevent sticking. Remove pot from stove, stir in pepper and butter. Gradually stir in cheese.

Meanwhile, brown the ground turkey, herbs, spices and minced garlic in a large skillet. Add parsley, tomatoes and tomato paste; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Spread half of the polenta in a serving dish; top with half of the sausage mixture. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.