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servings:

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Rick Tramonto's book Fantastico! I serve this traditional side dish as an antipasto. Guess what? I like it more as a small plate to kick off a meal than as a side. On the other hand, you could serve this in larger amounts as a side dish or even instead of a pasta course. And because the ragu is even better the second day, I make a lot, so you will have leftovers. Soft polenta, blended with plenty of cheese and butter, is lusciously creamy and becomes the delicious base for the meaty mushroom and sausage ragu. This is a terrific start to a fall meal of fish and a salad. Polenta may be yellow or white; I prefer yellow because of its color and slightly earthy, intense flavor.

• 3/4 pound dried porcini mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups olive oil
• 1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
• 1 pound pork butt, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• 1/2 pound Spanish onions, cut into 1-inch dice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Two 14-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes, roughly chopped, juice reserved
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground fennel seed
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups chicken stock or water
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup yellow polenta or cornmeal
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Torn fresh basil
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

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