Sausage & Peppers

My Aunt Jane is the best Italian cook I know. Well, one of the best cooks period, but especially Italian food! So naturally, when I wanted to know how to make the best sausage & peppers, I asked her to share the way that she makes them. Her recipe does not disappoint! This is a delicious, spicy, sweet, and saucy dish that can be made for a crowd.

Aunt Jane suggests one to one-and-a-half pounds of sausage. I used the latter and was still left with more than enough sauce to slather the sandwiches with. Serve on any kind of roll you would like, but a toasted or hard hoagie roll would be perfect. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Sausage & Peppers
from Aunt Jane
Makes 6 hearty sandwiches

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds hot or sweet Italian sausage, cut into about 3-inch pieces
large onion, sliced
1 large red and 1 large green pepper, sliced
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
pinch of red pepper flakes

Heat olive oil in very large skillet or Dutch oven. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sausage to skillet and cook until brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes.

Remove sausage from pan and drain on paper towel. Add onions and peppers to pan, cook a few minutes until they begin to soften.

Add tomatoes, sausage, and seasonings. Add water if necessary. Cover and cook for at least 30 minutes, or until sausage is cooked through.