Sausage and Peppers
Sausage and Peppers is the ideal choice to make when your Italian friends are coming over! What?? Why would anyone subject themselves to the scrutiny of comparing it to Nona’s sausage and peppers? You obviously haven’t met me…I love the challenge of making new things for guests and letting my guests be guinea pigs!
So, not only was this a new recipe, I was also cooking for friends, including Chris & Scott. Chris is a wonderful Italian home chef. She makes amazing meals. So, when the gang came over to play canasta, I thought, let’s just give this a go! Sausage and Peppers it must be! Yes, I’m cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!
This recipe is really simple but the flavors are complex and delicious. The Italians in the group loved it and the Chicago boys felt right at home with this deeply satisfying and nostalgic dinner.
Begin by cooking the sausages until they are nicely browned all over and set aside on a separate platter. For the sausage, to keep it fairly healthy, I use turkey sausage (no one noticed, btw) but you do you…pork, chicken…it’s your call.
To the same pan, add the sliced peppers and onion and cook for about 5 minutes until they are softened. Add the oregano, basil and garlic and cook a few more minutes
Add the tomato paste, stir to combine, and then add the Marsala wine, diced tomatoes and chili flakes. Stir it to combine and then bring it to a simmer.
Cut the sausages into 4 pieces and add the sausage back to the pan. Stir it and then cook until the sauce has thickened. This will take about 20 minutes.
You can either serve it in bowls with some pasta or split some rolls in half lengthwise, hollow out the bread from the bottom of the roll and fill the bottom half with the sausage mixture.
Mangia!
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Sausage and Peppers
Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced
- 2 yellow onions, sliced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup Marsala wine
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls, optional
Instructions
Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain.
Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.
Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
Serve in bowls or as a sandwich. If serving as a sandwich, split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage mixture. Top and serve sandwiches immediately.
Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis
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