Stef’s Mom’s Sausage and Peppers
You may be sick of hearing this by now, but I really do have the greatest mom. When I was growing up, despite working a demanding sales career, she always had fresh cut veggies set out on the counter when I came home from school, and she always had a home-cooked meal for us.
On Wednesdays, she would have her best friends over. They called it “Ya Ya Happy Hour” a nod to a book they all read called Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, which, now that I am typing this, I am going to read. I digress.
For me, Wednesday nights were the BEST, because I got to see some of my best friends — Alexa, Simone, and Adri — and we got to play until it was bedtime. PLUS we got a delicious home cooked meal, made just for us, from one of the moms.
One of the most famous meals from the Ya Ya Happy Hour Era was my mom’s Sausage and Peppers. So famous, in fact, that Adri had chefs re-create it, so she could serve it at her wedding.
Yeah, I know… you are SO lucky that I care SO much about you that I am sharing this recipe. Do I have your attention? :)
Okay, here’s the recipe…
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Serves: 6
Prep time: 2+ hours
Downloadable recipe: here
What you’ll need:
2 lbs sweet Italian sausage
3 tbs olive oil
1 cup yellow onions, chopped
3 sweet red peppers, cut into medium-size julienne
1 cup dry red wine
2 lbs italian plum tomatoes, canned, including the liquid
1 cup of water
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt, black pepper, and red pepper to taste
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
How to Make:
First, let’s cook our sausages
Prick the sausage links with fork and put them in a pot with 1/2 inch of water. Set the pot over medium heat and simmer the sausages, uncovered, in the water for about 20 mins. Eventually, the pot will boil dry and the sausages will begin to fry in their own fat. Turn them occasionally and cook for another 10 mins, or until they are well-browned. Remove them from the pot and drain them on paper towel.
Next, let’s make our onions
Pour the sausage fat out of the pot but do not wash the pot. Set it over low heat, add the olive oil and onions, and cook them, covered, until tender, about 25 mins.
After, it’s time to add our peppers
Add the peppers, raise the heat, and cook uncovered for another 5 mins, stirring often.
Now, we’re ready to boil and reduce our sauce
Add the wine, tomatoes, water, oregano, and thyme, and season to-taste with salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 mins.
Meanwhile, let’s prepare our sausages for their return to the pot
Slice the sausages into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. When the sauce has simmered for 30 mins, add sausages and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 mins.
Finally, add the finishing touches of parsley and garlic
Add parsley and chopped garlic and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve as is, or over a bed of pasta and enjoy!
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