Pork Ragu With Polenta

This is my family’s favorite ragu, rich with pork and sweet Italian sausage and flavored with basil, parsley, and a touch of nutmeg. It is delicious over polenta, but you can serve it over pasta if you prefer. In less than ten minutes, the sauce emerges from the pressure cooker with a deep flavor, as if it had spent the day bubbling on the stove.

SERVES 6 TO 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds lean ground pork
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
• 2 large sweet onions, such as Vidalia, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes with their juice
• Two 28-ounce cans tomato puree
• ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
• 1 recipe cheesy polenta

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
2. Add the pork and sausage and sauté until no longer pink. Remove any excess fat or water from the bottom of the pot.
3. Add the onions, basil, and nutmeg and cook for another 2 minutes to soften the onions.
4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato puree.
5. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 7 minutes.
6. Release the pressure naturally and remove the lid, tilting the pot away from you to avoid the escaping steam.
7. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce.
8. Stir in the basil and parsley.
9. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.
10. Serve the sauce over the polenta