Italian Sausage Ragu'

I am Italian, well 1/2 anyway, and I love the wonderful tastes and smells of everything Italian.I look for and try as many new Italian recipes as I can, and the best part of all is adding different ingredients that I like and truly making the recipe my own. This recipe is fairly simple, features fresh ingredients and ends up being a "one skillet" dinner although you will use one other pot.

Ingredients:

1 lb. penne or bowtie pasta

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage or links with casing removed

1 1/2 C. red or yellow bell pepper, large dice

1 C. yellow onion, diced

4 t. tomato paste

4 t. minced garlic

1 C. white wine

2 - 14oz. cans diced tomatoes with juice

2 t. sugar

1 1/2 t. red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy)

1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan cheese to finish/serve

Directions:

Brown sausage in a large high sided skillet breaking into small pieces as it browns.

Drain sausage in a colander but leave about 1 T. of fat in pan. Saute' your bell pepper and onion for about 8 minutes stirring often. Stir in tomato paste and garlic. Continue to cook and stir for 5 more minutes. Deglaze pan by adding the white wine and stir to loosen any bits off pan. Increase your heat to medium-high and cook until liquid has thickened. Add canned tomatoes with juice, cooked sausage, sugar, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.  Taste occasionally and add salt, pepper or pepper flakes as needed.

In a large pot with a splash of olive oil and some salt, boil water for pasta. Cook 10-15 minutes then drain, but do not rinse. Add to the skillet. Add 1/2 of the parsley and stir to combine. Heat on low for another 10-15 minutes. Serve with more fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

Serves 8

Tips:  Rather than wasting a small can of tomato paste when you need a few teaspoons, purchase your tomato paste in a tube. It is so easy to squirt the amount you need into the spoon and stir into your recipe.

If you like more heat use 1/2 hot Italian sausage and 1/2 mild.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe.The leftovers warm up in the microwave perfectly and it is just as delicious as the first time you served it. Again, I would love for you to share a recipe every chance you get, and this one is great to share! Who doesn't love Italian food!!