Best Ever Sweet Sausage and Peppers
Tasty summer peppers shine in my take on the classic, Italian sausage and peppers. Sausage with apple, plus plenty of robust red wine, leave just enough sweetness to this easy weeknight dinner that tastes deceptively as if it took all day to prepare.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 2 12 oz pkgs chicken sausage links with apple (I used Aidells brand but there are several varieties in US grocery markets such as Al Fresco, Johnsonville, and Applegate), sliced into 1-inch slices
- 3 green bell peppers seeded and sliced into 1/2-inch slivers
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and sliced into 1/2-inch slivers
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tsp white wine or red wine vinegar to mellow the sweetness
- pinch kosher salt
- couple pinches fresh cracked pepper
- 1 9 oz pkg fresh fettucini pasta
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large rimmed skillet over high heat. Add the sausage and saute until well browned. Add the peppers, onion, and garlic, and saute for a couple minutes until fragrant.
- Add the red wine to the pan to deglaze. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits and yum yums from the bottom of the pan. Add the vinegar, reduce heat, season with salt and pepper, cover, and slow simmer a while until peppers are softened (30 minutes) and liquid is reduced by half.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions (which will be short because it is fresh pasta). Drain the pasta and add to the sausage and peppers, allowing the pasta to absorb the remaining juices. I also used a wooden spatula to break the pasta up into smaller pieces to combine better with the sausage and peppers. Taste for seasoning and serve. Yields: 6 servings.