Description
Broiled polenta squares stand in for bread cubes here, tossed with pork sausage, tart dried cranberries, and pistachios, with torn sage crisped in the pan drippings. Works alongside turkey or a simple roast chicken.
Ingredients
Units
- 2 cups Colavita Polenta
- 3 1/2 C Water
- 6 oz Pork Sausage
- 1 C dried Cranberries
- 4 TBSP Colavita Garlic Olive Oil
- 1/2 C shelled Pistachios
- 12 Fresh Sage leaves
- 2 TBSP Colavita Olive Oil
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, bring 2½ C water to a boil.
- Mix one Cup Polenta into a medium bowl with one Cup water and stir.
- Once water has boiled, slowly pour Polenta and water mixture into boiled water and cook until thickened for 5 minutes stirring constantly.
- Pour Polenta onto a sheet pan 8×12 and allow to cool until completely firm.
- Brush 4 tablespoons garlic olive oil over top of Polenta and place in oven under broiler until golden brown, turning pan as needed (about 10 minutes).
- In medium sauté pan brown sausage and crumble while cooking.
- Remove from pan and set aside.
- In same sauté pan add 2 TBSP Colavita Olive oil and add pistachios and cranberries and cook over low for 5 minutes.
- Tear sage leaves and add to sauté pan and allow to crisp in oil with berries and nuts.
- As Polenta gets browned, remove from broiler and cut into ½ inch squares to resemble croutons.
- Combine all ingredients, polenta squares, sausage, cranberries, pistachios and sage into large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Place in oven safe bowl and place in oven set to 325 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Broil the polenta until it’s genuinely golden, not just warm — that’s what gives you crouton-like squares instead of mush once everything gets tossed together.
- Tear the sage rather than chopping it, and crisp it in the oil with the fruit and nuts just until fragrant and translucent at the edges.
- The polenta squares can be made a day ahead and held at room temperature; assemble and bake everything else the day you serve it.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 10