Meat Sauce with Polenta Cubes

Ingredients

• 1 cup polenta
• 4 cups water
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion
• 15 ounce canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   In a medium pot, bring 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil. Slowly whisk in 1 cup polenta, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring often, until thick and creamy, about 15 minutes.

2. 2

   Pour the cooked polenta into a greased 9x9 inch baking dish, smooth the top, and let it cool until firm, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, start the sauce.

3. 3

   Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Add 1 pound ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 8 minutes.

5. 5

   Stir in the 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer the sauce until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.

6. 6

   Cut the cooled polenta into 1-inch cubes. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and fry the cubes until golden and crispy on all sides, about 8 minutes total.

7. 7

   Serve the crispy polenta cubes topped with the hot meat sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley if you have it.

Tools you’ll need

• Medium pot
• 9x9 inch baking dish
• Large skillet
• Nonstick skillet
• Whisk
• Spatula

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