How come I never ate sausage and peppers as a kid? Probably because everyone I knew growing up took absolutely no care in how they cut everything. I've got ADHD and textures can either be the best thing ever, or the bane of my existence. Consistent, bite-size pieces are crucial, especially when it comes to this dish.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs Gluten Free Sausages (We use Polidori) : We like to get half hot italian, and half sweet italian, but get whatever.
- 2 Large Sweet Onions (or 3 Smalls)
- 4 Large Bell Peppers (We use an assortment of Yellow, Red and Orange)
- 2 Tablespoons Butter or Oil (whichever you prefer, we use butter)
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon crushed Garlic
- 1 Jar Rao's Sauce (Yes, I'm italian, and yes, sometimes I use jarred sauce. I really love using the sensitive marinara or the vodka sauce for this dish. Either homemade or jarred, you will need 16 oz.)
- 2 Cups Cold Water (not from the sink, ew)
- Pasta of Choice (We use Taste Republic, can find online, whole foods, amazon, etc)
Directions:
Start boiling water for your pasta. It is cooked separately and added to the dish at the very end. Dont forget to salt your water.
Grill your sausages (or bake them according to the package's instructions) and set them aside to cool.
Slice your peppers and onions to an equal width of aprox 1/3" and equal length of aprox 1.5" - take your time, consistency is key. Saute with butter or oil over medium heat (5-6 on electric.) Season with salt and pepper, then cover with a lid to keep the steam in, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and excessive browning. The peppers should still have a bit of crunch to them in the finished dish.
When the sausages are cool enough to handle, start slicing them at an angle about the same width of your peppers and onions - aprox 1/3". The wider the angle, the more surface area of sausage you get - the better. Add them to the stovetop with your peppers and onions and stir.
Add 2 Cups of Water and stir. When water begins to boil, add your crushed garlic and sauce (either jar or homemade) and mix thoroughly, ensuring all peppers, onions, and sausages are evenly coated. Turn the heat down to medium low (2-3 on electric) and cover.
Cook your pasta. Fresh pasta takes significantly less time than hard pasta from a box. Factor this in when you are checking your sauced peppers, onions, and sausage. You want a good coating of the sauce on all pieces, not too watery, and not too thick and dry.
When the pasta is done, turn the stove off, drain the pasta and portion it out into the bowls of whoever is eating. Top with 2 hefty scoops of the peppers, onions, and sausage and toss to coat pasta.
Garnish with parmesan. Leftovers can last 3 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months.