Spicy Sausage & Tomatoes w/Fried Polenta

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 links Italian chicken sausage
• 1 link hot Italian sausage
• 1 c chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 tablespoons sundried tomatoes in oil
• 1/4 c red wine
• 1/2 c chopped fresh basil, divided
• Prepared polenta, chilled and sliced
• 3/4 c grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage (cutting it out of its casing, if it has one, and crumbling it in the pan). Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and cook for just 30 seconds or so, until fragrant but not burnt, before adding the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, sundried tomatoes, and wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the sausage bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring this mixture to a boil before reducing the heat and allowing it to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the mixture is simmering, heat the other 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot and the oil is shimmering, add the slices of polenta, frying them for a few minutes on one side, until golden brown. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper before flipping them to fry, salt, and pepper the other side. When they’re almost done, sprinkle them with a little Parmesan cheese. Remove them to your serving plate.

Stir 1/4 cup of basil and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese into the tomato mixture. Cook for 5 more minutes before spooning the mixture over the fried polenta, sprinkling with a little extra grated Parmesan and basil, and serving.