Penne Sausage Rustica

The other night I was watching Top Chef Texas and one of the guest judges Hugh Acheson made a comment about ingredients used in a dish.  I am paraphrasing because I don't remember exactly but essentially he said, "you go the market first, see what looks fresh and then you conceptualize your dish".   The recipe that follows came to fruition by going to the market and seeing lovely varietals of red, orange and yellow peppers and knowing I needed to use them in the dinner I was preparing for the evening.   I also wanted to do create a dish that I could essentially prepare some simple ingredients and let it cook so I could do my Sunday errands so I adapted my Grandmother Bonatto's meat sauce to incorporate the lovely peppers I saw at the market.   Whenever I am making sauce, I ALWAYS make at least enough for another meal because it freezes so beautifully.  If you do not want to have as much sauce, cut the recipe in half. But I promise you it is nice to be able to just go the freezer on days when life doesn't go as planned and you will have a dinner ready in no time.  Simply defrost the sauce, boil some pasta and presto...DINNER!  Enjoy!

PenneSausage Rustica

Ingredients

1.       1 ½ pound Hot Italian Pork Sausage

2.       1 ½ pound Sweet Italian Pork Sausage

3.       1 Extra Large Sweet Vidalia Onion

4.       4-5 Garlic Cloves

5.       1 Red Pepper

6.       1 Yellow Pepper

7.       1 Orange Pepper

8.       ½ Cup Chopped Fresh Basil

9.       1/3 Cup Fresh Oregano

10.   1 Package Fresh Thyme

11.   1/3 Cup Red Wine or Balsamic Vinegar if preferred

12.   4 Cans of Diced Tomatoes (14.5 oz)

13.   3-4 Cans of Tomato Sauce (14.5 oz) If you like a thicker sauce, use 3 cans instead of 4

14.   Shredded  Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (you can use a substitute cheese if desired)

15.   2 Lbs. Penne Pasta

16.   Extra Virgin Olive Oil

17.   Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Necessary Utensils

1.       1 Large Chopping Knife

2.       Grater

3.       Cutting Board

4.       Large Oven Proof Pot

5.       Strainer

6.       4-5 Small Bowls for Chopped Ingredients

7.       1 Large Bowl (to hold boiled pasta)

8.       2 Wooden Spoons

9.       Large Pasta Pot

Preparation

1.       Heat Oven to 300 Degrees

2.       In Large Pasta Pot, add water, palm of kosher salt and olive oil and allow to come to a full boil.   Add Penne, cook until al dente (approximately 8-10 minutes).  Drain water, coat with olive oil and set aside in Large Bowl covered with Plastic Wrap.

3.       Wash, De-Seed and Dice the Peppers.  Hold in small bowl.

4.       Dice the Onion (Hint:   Start by cutting off 1 side of the onion and peel the skin towards the other end making a tail and  keep the other root side intact.  I call this the glue, when you dice the onion this way it doesn’t fall apart on you and it gives you something to hold.  Also, if you have difficult cutting onions due to your eyes watering, cut near an open gas flame).   Hold onion in one of your small bowls

5.       Finely Chop Garlic (Hint:  Take each garlic clove, lie it on it’s side, take the side of the blade of your large knife and lie it on the clove and firmly press down with your palm.  This will loosen the skin of the garlic.  Remove the cloves and take a pinch of kosher salt and begin chopping the garlic.  The salt binds the cloves so it is easier to chop).   Hold garlic in one of your small bowls.

6.       Rough Chop all Fresh Herbs.  Hold in small bowl.

7.       Grate Cheese, hold in small bowl.

8.       On your stovetop, place large oven proof pot on medium heat and brown sausage.   Drain excess fat from meat and set aside in large bowl. 

9.       In same pot after removing the meat,  coat the bottom of the pan in olive oil and allow oil to heat (approximately 1 minute).  Add Onion and Garlic, dash of salt and pepper, cook until translucent.  Add Peppers and Cook for approximately 3 minutes.

10.   Add sausage to the onions, garlic and pepper and mix.  

11.   Add the diced tomatoes and sauce

12.   Add the Fresh Herbs, Wine and Season with Salt and Pepper.

13.   Allow to Simmer on Stove for 10-15 minutes

14.   Place Pot in Oven and Cover. Allow  it to Cook for 2 ½ hours.

15.   Reheat  Pasta either in Microwave (add more olive oil) or can reheat in sauce.

16.   Serve with Freshly Grated Cheese and Fresh Roughly Chopped Basil if Desired.