Sausage, Pepper & Onion Stromboli

I usually make a deli meat type stromboli. Ben requested something a little different. This recipe sure did hit the spot.

Sausage, Pepper & Onion Stromboli
Source: My Kitchen Addiction

Ingredients
1 batch whole wheat pizza dough
1 lb. Italian chicken sausage links (we used regular because we couldn't find chicken)
1 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 large sweet onion (or 1 small), sliced
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 oz. parmigiano-reggiano cheese, freshly grated
Add extra virgin olive oil to drizzle over top
Italian Seasoning
Marinara

Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.

In a grill pan over medium heat, brown the sausage links until cooked through. Meanwhile, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced bell pepper and onion and saute until the veggies are tender.

Stretch the dough over the baking sheet forming a large rectangle. Arrange teh peppers and onions lengthwise down the center of the dough rectangle. Slice the sausage links crosswise into small 1/4 inch slices and arrange on top of the peppers and onions. Sprinkle with the two cheeses.

To form the stromboli, fold the two long ides of the pizza dough up over the filling and pinch with your fingers to crimp at the top. Roll up the ends and pinch together to seal off the ends. Drizzle some olive oil over the dough and then use a pastry brush to evenly coat the stromboli. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Bake for about 30 - 35 minutes. Let rest for 5 - 10 minutes prior to slicing. Serve slices topped with warm marinara sauce.

Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

We were looking for a good meal for Christmas Eve dinner. In thumbing through a couple cookbooks, I found this recipe in Giada De Laurentiis Every day Pasta. I am glad I did. It was really good. Ben gave 2 thumbs up. A keeper. Served with a nice salad and toasted baguette slices.

Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions
Serves 4-6

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausages ( I couldn't find turkey so I used chicken sausage)
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Marsala wine
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pound rigatoni pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pan.

Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the bell peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and basil and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until incorporated, then add the Marsala, tomatoes with their juice, and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each. Return the sausages to the pan. Simmer uncovered until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the thickened sauce; toss to combine. Spoon into individual bowls and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.