Shelly's Recipe

ITALIAN SAUSAGE & PEPPERS, MUSSO STYLE

Category: Sausage

2 pounds Italian sausage, hot or mild
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2 large Vidalia onions, split and sliced ¾ inch thick
3-4 Italian Cubanelle peppers, or colorful bell peppers, cut into ¾ inch slices
3 cloves garlic, bruised
1 bay leaf
3/4 tsp dry Italian herb medley (or more to taste)
Pinches of crushed red pepper
2 tbsp Balsamico di Modena
1/2 glass Marsala or red wine
2-3 tbsp Italian tomato paste
28 oz can San Marzano whole tomatoes or 4 fresh tomatoes, wedged
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper - to taste

Garnish: fresh basil, oregano and parsley leaves, chopped

Heat a heavy 12-14 inch skillet over medium high heat (375-400 degrees). Add olive oil, sausages, peppers, onions, garlic, bay, dry herbs and pinches of crushed red pepper; sauteing quickly to brown. Remove sausages when about half done and reserve.

Add Balsamico and wine, stirring with a wooden spoon to deglaze pan. Add tomato paste and canned tomatoes along with all their juices. Stir to blend, and cut the tomatoes into bite size pieces with a spoon. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes to reduce. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, dry herbs and pinches of crushed red pepper to taste. Add back sausages and cook to finish sausages and marry sauce.

Serve over pasta, or place the sausage on a demi baguette and smother with onions, peppers and sauce. Garnish fresh chopped basil, oregano Italian parsley. Also great over grilled or soft polenta.
Serves 4-6.

Note: If using fresh tomatoes, you’ll probably need to add some tomato juice, more wine or water to create the sauce.