Sausage & Peppers Pasta
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces rigatoni or short pasta of choice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage (or Bradley’s)
- 1 large bell pepper, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- up to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- one 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- salt & ground black pepper, to season
- for serving, as desired: grated parmesan, finely chopped fresh basil or chopped fresh parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
- Boil the pasta: Generously season a large pot of water with salt & bring to a boil. Add pasta & cook until the pasta is under al dente. Drain the pasta but reserve 1 cup of the water.
- Brown the sausage & peppers: Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot add the sausage, bell pepper, & onion, seasoning with 1 teaspoon salt & ground black pepper as desired. Break the sausage into bite-sized crumbles, cook 5-7 minutes. The sausage should brown nicely & the veggies should soften. Add garlic & crushed red pepper flakes, cooking 1 minute longer.
- Build the tomato sauce: Stir the tomato paste into the skillet, coating the sausage & veggies. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze the pan by slowly pouring in the white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed on the bottom of the pan. Once the wine is almost cooked off, stir in crushed tomatoes & parmesan. Bring the mixture up to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken slightly & build flavor. Taste & adjust seasoning accordingly.
- Finish the pasta: Once the sausage & peppers have simmered in the tomato sauce, add the pasta & toss to coat. If the mixture is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, allowing the pasta to meld with & absorb some of the tomato sauce. Remove from the heat.
- Serve topped with additional grated parmesan, chopped basil or parsley.