Sausage & Peppers

Sunday I decided to make Sausage & Peppers for supper. Everyone has their own idea of what that is. My version is really simple: hot & mild/sweet Italian sausage with peppers, onion and garlic over macaroni (for all you non-Italians…that’s spaghetti or linguini or whatever other type of pasta you like) or served with Italian bread.

I take two packages of Premio Sausage and dump them in large flat bottomed pan.

If you have a large enough pan, they should all fit. Cover them with water and crank the heat to a little over medium, but not quite medium-high and leave them be while you chop up your peppers and onions.

Make sure you prick the casings with a fork to let the juices out or they will pop when you least expect it. Trust me on this. I’ve got oils burns in the strangest of places. Keep an eye on it and flip the sausages as necessary. You want them to cook until the water is boiled down.

Meanwhile, you should have your pot of water boiling for the macaroni. For all you non-Italians…that’s spaghetti or linguini or whatever other type of pasta you like.

While the sausages are cooking, you wanna get started on slicing up your peppers.

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If you timed it right, after flipping the sausages a few times, the water in the pan boiled down just as the water in your big old pot started boiling for your macaroni. Take the sausages out of the pan, line a broiler pan with tin foil, crank up the broiler and let the sausages brown. If you are like me and have more than 1 kitchen project/distraction going at the same time, set the timer for about 3 minutes. Grease fires are NOT fun in the oven. The sausage will be ruined and you’ll have to order take out and possibly submit a claim to your insurance company…but that’s a story for another time.

You’re gonna want to use the sausage drippings to saute the onion, peppers and garlic. I usually add about a tablespoon of EVOO to the pan and swish it around a bit before I let it come up to temp. Just throw all the veggies & garlic in. Stir them up and let soften.

I don’t salt or oil the water when I make macaroni. If you let it come to a rolling boil, it’s really not necessary. Let the macaroni sit in the water untouched for about 10-15 seconds before you stir it in. Don’t forget to set a timer for this too. When the timer for your broiler goes off, flip them over and broil the other side. They will wind up looking something like this:

To get even slices, I used to slice in half, then again and again and again.

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But after years of making this, I have mastered the art of slicing something steaming hot without cutting my fingers, so I don’t use that method anymore.

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After you slice all the sausage up, toss them into the pan and let them finish cooking.

You know the spaghetti is done when you take one and fling it against the wall & it sticks.

Strain the spaghetti, transfer the sausage & veggies to a bowl or plate and toss the spaghetti in the pan. The renderings are used as the sauce.

Find a platter big enough and plate it up.

Feel free to eat that sausage that didn’t make it to the center of the platter & enjoy!