RECIPE: Soft polenta with tomato sugo

Polenta isn't only a northern and central Italian dish. Nor does it need a rich accompaniment of meat or dairy. Try this soft southern style, inspired by how my nonna used to make it - with a tomato sugo. Pure simplicity, pure comfort.

Nonna would layer soft polenta with a simple passata sauce. Food of that era in the south was basic yet nourishing, filling and flavourful. Tucking into a bowl of this, the warmth flows through you. Be liberal with the sugo - polenta greedily soaks up all the sauce it can handle. Recipe from A Vegan Summer in Southern Italy.

Soft Polenta with Tomato Sugo (Polenta al sugo)

Serves 4 mains | 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Sugo

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

400g tomato passata

1 teaspoon salt

few basil leaves, optional

Polenta

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups polenta