Italian Sausages & Peppers (Two Ways)

Italian Sausage
on a Bun

4 mild Italian sausages

1x red pepper

1x orange pepper

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper

Fresh oregano for garnish, if desired

1/2 cup Massimos marinara sauce

4 buns of your choice

Servings: 4

Preparation: 10 minutes

Total Time:  35 minutes

Kitchen Equipment: grilling basket

Penne with Sausage & Peppers

1x 500g bag penne

2 cups reserved pasta water

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2x garlic cloves, minced

1x green pepper, sliced into half-inch strips

Grilled sausage & peppers from the barbecue

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Servings: 4-6

Preparation: 15 minutes

Total Time:  35 minutes

Kitchen Equipment: 2x large pots

Italian Sausage on a Bun

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the grill to medium heat (about 400F)
2. Prep the vegetables: slice the peppers and mix with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano and set aside.
3. Cook the sausages: place the sausages directly on one side of the grill and grill for about 5-7 minutes, until cooked through.
4. While the sausages are cooking, grill the veggies by placing them in a grill basket or on a grill tray for about 8-10 minutes until they are softened and have some grill marks.
5. If the sausages finish before the vegetables, either keep the sausages warm on the warming/upper rack or place on a plate and lightly wrap with foil to keep warm.
6. When everything is finished on the grill, lightly toast the buns until desired doneness.
7. To assemble:  place some grilled peppers on the bun, then layer with a sausage, 1-2 tablespoons of marinara sauce and then a couple more grilled peppers.
8. Garnish with fresh oregano if desired and serve warm.

Penne with Sausage & Peppers
Instructions:

1. Cook the penne according to the package instructions. **IMPORTANT: Reserve 2 cups pasta water before draining the noodles.
2. Slice the grilled sausages and set aside with the leftover grilled peppers.
3. Heat a large pot to medium heat and add olive oil.
4. Once pot is warm, add in garlic and green pepper, sauteeing for 5 minutes.
5. Turn the heat to medium-low, add in the grilled sausage and peppers, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, cooking for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until sausages are warmed through.
6. Add the penne noodles to the pot along with 1 1/2 cups of reserved pasta water and 1 cup parmesan cheese, stirring to combine. Add in additional pasta water if needed and season to taste with additional salt, pepper or red pepper flakes.
7. Serve immediately.

Recipe Pro Tips:

If you don’t have leftover sausage and peppers from the barbecue, grill two (2) Italian sausages and add in one fresh red or orange pepper when the green pepper is cooking as per recipe instructions.