Tomatoey chipolatas with polenta

Serves:

4-6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 12 baby chipolata sausages
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1L chicken stock
• 1 cup instant polenta
• 60g freshly grated parmesan cheese

Method

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook sausages until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add onion and garlic to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened. Add tomatoes and oregano, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add sausages and cook for a further 10 minutes or until sauce is thick.

While the sauce is simmering, bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan. Slowly add polenta, whisking until all added.

Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for a further 8-10 minutes or until the polenta is cooked (the texture of mashed potato).

Remove from heat and stir in parmesan. I find that the stock and parmesan give enough flavour and I don‰Ûªt add extra salt.

Serve sausage casserole on a puddle of polenta.

Notes:

• My husband‰Ûªs verdict on this dish was ‘sensational’. The tomatoey sauce combines beautifully with the creamy polenta. If your kids like mash, they will love polenta.
• I poured the leftover polenta onto a plate and used it in the Polenta cake with anything goes salad
• Our local supermarket stocks a 500g packet of gluten-free chipolatas, happily with a high meat content and identifiable carrot. I use these sausages and gluten-free stock to make this dish gluten-free.
• Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.