Begin by peeling your fresh tomatoes. Score each with a shallow “X”, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the skin loosens, then plunge into an ice-water bath to cool. The skins should slip right off.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the extra virgin olive oil, sauté chopped onion until translucent (around 5 minutes), then add minced garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).

Add your peeled tomatoes (broken into chunks) and torn basil leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and let it cook, uncovered, for about 10–15 minutes. This slow simmer allows flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken beautifully.

Lastly, season with salt (and pepper if desired), then blend to a smooth consistency using an immersion blender.

While your sugo gently simmers:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

Gradually whisk in the polenta and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally at first and more regularly as it thickens, until the polenta becomes creamy and smooth, usually around 40 minutes.

Once ready, you can enrich it by stirring in grated cheese (if you like), though even plain, it cradles the tomato sauce beautifully.

Spoon a generous portion of creamy polenta onto each plate or shallow bowl. Ladle the warm tomato sugo over the top.

Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, and/or a sprinkle of grated cheese.