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Thursday, September 23, 2010

Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions

If you grew up in the Northeast (Boston, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York) you probably were surrounded by Italian Americans. Actually, they were probably Sicilians, but most people thought of them as simply Italian. "Eye-talyans" is how many people pronounced the word, but no matter how you said it, it meant that a sausage and pepper sandwich was probably near at hand and always oh so delicious.

You really can't go wrong with this; fry up onions and peppers over medium heat until they start to soften and caramelize and add in the sausage. Put it all on a hoagie/sub/hero roll and enjoy. There is no need for any condiments or cheese or nutin' else. This is pure, unadulterated joy on a plate or a bun.

 Most versions of this use only green peppers, but I wanted a pretty photograph so I added the yellow and red, whose sweetness was a lovely balance to the spicy sausage. Someday - mark my words - I will make my own sausage, but until then, I am satisfied with this!

Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions

1/2 onion, sliced lengthwise
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced in strips
1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced in strips
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced in strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 Italian sausages (sweet or spicy) sliced down the center like a book

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat; add onion and peppers and cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes until they are completely softened and the onions begin to caramelize. If grilling the sausages, grill 5-7 minutes per side; if pan frying them, remove peppers and onions from pan and fry sausages for 7-10 minutes per side; add vegetables back into pan and scrape up bits to serve. Spoon onions and peppers over sausage and serve.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me: 

Dried Fava Bean Soup with Mint and Chilies at 101 Cookbooks
Pizza Pot Pies at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Turkish Cigarette Borek with Roasted Tomato Sauce at An Edible Mosiac