Sausage and Peppers with Onions ala Giada

This is a Giada de Laurentis recipe that I have been making for years. I was shocked to find that I had never blogged about it! I was searching through my recipes to find something that I could make with bratwurst I purchased back in October. Then, I thought to myself, I wonder if I could make an Italian dish with German sausage.

I could.

It was just as delicious as always. Enjoy.

You need:

1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage
2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 c chopped fresh basil leaves
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Marsala wine (or red wine, which is what I use
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional
4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls, optional

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain. Keeping the pan over medium  heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer. Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Serve in bowls. Or, if serving as a sandwich, split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage mixture. Top and serve sandwiches immediately.