Pasta con Salsiccie e Peperoni

O

rdinarily, by this time of year, I've already moved into an area of Italian cooking I refer to as "bean cuisine." That is, the treasure trove of Tuscan recipes—most of which involve pork—for cannellini and borlotti beans. But the plants and vines here in southeastern Connecticut continue to reward us with their bounty, so the Zuppa di Fagioli will remain, at least for the time being, on the figurative back burner.

I've been fortunate to have been rewarded frequently this season, most recently, by a dear friend who brought me a large bag of peppers. They included some large, thick-skinned red bell peppers, and an abundance of yellow, or 'banana' peppers. While the bell peppers will very likely become peperoni arrosto, roasted peppers, their yellow bretheren came to dinner last night as a component of Pasta con Salsiccia e Peperoni, Pasta with Sausage and Peppers.

Of course, sausage and peppers evoke an image of an Italian street festival, but they can also make you happy, prepared in combination with tomatoes and served over pasta. The Napoletani, who lay claim to the origin of this dish, serve it over penne, or rigatoni. I served mine over Campanile simply because I got a deal on four pounds of them at my local mega store. While the pasta wasn't strictly traditional, it was a deal I'm sure Saint Gennaro himself couldn't refuse.

Pasta con Salsiccia e Peperoni

Ingredients:

Olive oil
2 Cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 28 oz. Can Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
1 Small carrot, peeled, and grated
1/2 tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes
4 Tbs. Fresh basil, finely chopped
1 Lb. Italian sausage, cut into 1 in. pieces
2 Green bell peppers, or 4 - 6 yellow frying peppers,cut into 1 in. chunks
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 Lb. Penne or Rigatoni
2 - 4 Tbs. Fresh basil, finely chopped (for garnish)
Pecorino-Romano, freshly grated

Preparation

Heat a large sauce pot over medium-high heat, then add enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Add the garlic, and sauté for a minute or two, until the garlic begins to give up some of its oils.

Lower the heat to medium-low, and add the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a fork as they go in. Add the grated carrot, the red pepper flakes, and the basil. Season with salt and pepper, and regulate the heat so the sauce simmers gently. Add the sausages and cook, uncovered, for approximmately 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add enough oil to cover the pan bottom. Add the peppers, season with salt and pepper, and sauté, shaking the pan and stirring often, until they've begun to wilt. Add the peppers the sauce pot, and stir to combine with the tomatoes and sausages.

As the sauce nears completion, bring a large pot of salted water (at least six quarts) to the boil, then add the pasta. Cook until the pasta reaches the al dente, then drain in a collander.

To Serve:

Pour the pasta onto a platter, then top with the sauce, garnish with the additional chopped basil, and serve family style. Pass the Pecorino-Romano separately at the table.

Serves four

Technorati Tags: Italian Recipes, Sausage & Peppers, Skip Lombardi