We're ripping it up to give you this rustic ragu with all the flavours of a slow-cooked one just in half the time. Tear up some sausage, tear the leaves off kale and throw it into the pan for robust sauciness served on a bed of creamy polenta.
Peel and thinly slice eschalot. Cut green tops from fennel. If there are any fronds, pick and reserve for serving. Halve fennel and thinly slice. Remove sausage meat from casings and break into 2cm pieces.
Heat oil in a deep frypan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring, for 5–6 minutes or until golden brown and caramelised.
Add eschalot, fennel, Italian kitchen herbs and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes or until starting to soften. Add tomatoes and 200ml water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until sauce is fragrant and thickened slightly. While ragu is cooking, continue with step 4.
Remove kale leaves from their stems and tear into bite-sized pieces.
When ragu is almost ready, place milk and 200ml water in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to just below the boil. Reduce heat to low and pour in polenta in a steady stream, whisking constantly for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir through parmesan and season well with salt and pepper.
Add kale and olives to ragu and stir until kale has wilted. Divide polenta between bowls and top with ragu. Scatter over any reserved fennel fronds to serve.