Shelly's Recipe

NEAPOLITAN ZITI - Olive Garden

Category: Pasta - Meat

24 ounces sweet Italian sausage links or 24 ounces hot Italian sausage links (1 1/2 lbs)
1 1/3 cups green bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 lb ziti pasta, cooked
Parmesan cheese, grated
Parsley sprig
40 fluid ounces marinara sauce (5 cups)
28 ounces italian-style canned tomatoes
10 3/4 fluid ounces tomato puree
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup fresh basil, packed, chopped
Salt and pepper

Bake or pan-fry the sausages until fully cooked, drain, cool. Halve the sausages and cut the split sausages into 1/2 inch slices.

Saute the bell peppers in olive oil over moderate heat only until their crispness is loss, but peppers are not soft.

In a heavy saucepan add the tomatoes, tomato puree, garlic, olive oil and fresh basil and bring to a light simmer on moderate heat. Add the sauteed pepper strips and cooked sausage and heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve the pasta, topped with the sausage, peppers and salsa marinara and garnish each plate with a parsley bouquet. Pass the Parmesan. Serves 4